


Baby Bird (Fly Home)

by RoxieLexy



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders Are Siblings, Brotherly Love, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders is a Sweetheart, Dad Patton, Domestic Fluff, Everyone Needs A Hug, Family Feels, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Human Sides (Sanders Sides), Janus Sanders is a dad, Patton is dad, Protective Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Protective Morality | Patton Sanders, Siblings, and dad, everyone is a dad, logan and virgil are brothers, remus is also a dad, sibling fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-07 05:21:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 38
Words: 68,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21452677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoxieLexy/pseuds/RoxieLexy
Summary: Logan and Virgil Storm are brothers who have an unfortunate past. They have also been separated since Virgil ran away from the foster system. Logan has since given up on the person who swore to always protect him and never desert him. Little does he know that Virgil has a plan, an apartment, and a nice man who makes cookies.
Comments: 192
Kudos: 291





	1. Baby Bird, All Alone

**Author's Note:**

> None of the characters belong to me! They are Thomas Sanders' beautiful creations who I have, for some reason, decided to torture mercilessly. Am I doing fandom right?

Chapter 1 - Baby Bird All Alone

Virgil wasn’t his father, despite what others thought. He was far too young to be his father and yet, he was the closest thing to a father that he had. The two were inseparable and had always sworn to be together. Until Virgil ran away. Virgil was searched for high and low, but he knew that they wouldn’t find the clever teen. Now he was thirteen and they had given up looking for Virgil. 

He put down the photo of the two of them that they’d kept in every house they’d ever been in. Virgil had talked a lot about changing the frame before he’d disappeared. The black frame it was in had been a gift but needed replacing. The glass was cracked in several places and the frame was covered in scratches from where it had clashed with their other belongings. He sighed and placed it on the stand again. He would pack that last, as was his unspoken tradition. He heard a quiet knock on the wooden door and stiffened.

“Come in,” he called, and the door swung open. A woman stood before him, she smiled a sad smile as she advanced into to room. Her name was Mrs. Huff, an unfortunate last name, but not the worst he’d heard.

“Hey,” she greeted. He nodded in response and resumed his packing. She tried again, “Do you want any help getting your stuff together?” He blinked at her and shook his head. Did she consider him incapable of packing his belongings? “I’m really sorry the adoption fell through.” She sounded choked and he turned to her quickly.

“Please, do not distress. If the circumstances were better, I am certain that I would be residing with you permanently.” And if, perhaps, I’d wanted to stay. Mrs. Huff gave a weak laugh, smoothing down her floral skirt unnecessarily,

“I just wish there was more we could do for you.” She said at last. He sighed, straightened, and walked over to the woman. He smiled and adjusted his glasses. Before he could open his mouth, however, he was pulled into a tight hug and he felt Mrs. Huff’s shoulders shake. She was crying. He stilled, unsure what to do. The last time he’d dealt with someone crying had been with Virgil.

He remembered the night clearly. He’d sat up in alarm, looking around for the problem. Virgil had curled in on himself as he had climbed onto his bed.

“’irgil? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Virgil shook his head and pulled the smaller boy close. Tucking them both under the blankets, Virgil gripped him in a fiercely protective hug.

“I won’t let them take you away from me.” He’d hissed. “I won’t.”

He snapped out of his flashback as Mrs. Huff drew away, wiping her eyes with the back of her sweater sleeve. She inhaled deeply a few times before she managed to speak brokenly,

“The agents will be here in a couple hours.” He felt the familiar uneasiness begin to grow in the pit of his stomach. He really should be used to the process by now. He tried to shake the feeling as he nodded and placed the last of his clothes in his bag. It wasn’t really his bag, obviously, the random purple patches scattered all over it showed that it was Virgil’s. Virgil could never keep anything together. He pushed the thought aside and grabbed the picture. He reverently placed it on top of his belongings and zipped the bag shut. With a final sweeping glance around the room, he turned and walked out.

“As soon as Mr. Huff gets a new job, we’re going to try for you again.” Mrs. Huff promised but her words fell on deaf ears. He was already trying to forget her and her husband. Trying to forget the ranch they lived on. Trying to forget that they were the first couple since Virgil ran away that had wanted to adopt him. They wouldn’t, though. He knew he couldn’t let them. He still had to find Virgil. He descended the stairs and stepped into the kitchen. Mr. Huff was talking to an overly happy woman who looked up as they walked in.

“Logan Storm?” She asked with a plastic smile and eyes that told him she was tired and ready to go home. He scoffed at the question, like Virgil would’ve.

“Whom else would I be?”


	2. Chapter 2 - Who has Left You So?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story line continues! Virgil's still gone, Logan's still angsty, and the Plumbers are...well...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!! Here's chappy 2. This chapter does contain a panic attack so please read at your own risk. It also makes reference to Logan and Virgil's past. Again, I own nothing but a bad case of creativity.

Chapter 2 - Who Has Left You So?

The Plumbers were...normal. Or, perhaps a better description would be ordinary, painstakingly so. Their house wasn’t covered with photos depicting happy memories. Or any photos for that matter. There was one picture that hung on the main wall of the living room. It had many circles, rectangles, and squares of various sizes. The Plumbers called it “The Big Picture” and it confused Logan to no end. He tried to understand it, but it just didn’t make any logical sense to him. It was particularly unappealing to look at on account of this. He tore his eyes away as he was called to dinner.  
The Plumbers had two adopted girls who stared at him, whispering together. Mrs. and Mr. Plumber emerged from the kitchen with a rather plain looking dinner and they all began to eat in silence. Logan waited for the onslaught of awkward questions that were sure to be sent his way.  
“How old are you?” The question came from Sarah, one of the adopted girls with straight brown hair and gray eyes. She matched the plainness of the family.  
“I am 13.” He glanced at Chrissy, the other girl who peered back at him from her bright blue eyes. She had an ice-y look about her that was somewhat unsettling. Her raven black hair and almost white skin didn’t help her look any less like an ice queen. She narrowed her eyes at him,  
“How many siblings did you have?”  
He blinked at her in surprise. He hadn’t mentioned having any family relations so how did this stranger know anything about that? He shifted uncertainty before clearing his throat.  
“I’m afraid that is none of your business.” She narrowed her eyes but didn’t pry. Dinner couldn’t be over fast enough. Once it was, Logan was instructed to wash the dishes as the two girls took care of the other chores. They kept up constant chatter which relieved Logan since he wasn’t required to speak and simultaneously drove him insane.  
He retreated to his room and sunk down onto the bed in relief, rejoicing in solitude. The question from dinner still pounded in his mind. He made it a point that he didn’t miss Virgil. He couldn’t. He’d given up feeling anything a while ago, it was easier. Right now, though, unauthorized feelings pushed at his chest. They tugged downwards on his heart and caused his eyes to fill. Logan hated sorrow more than his other emotions. Sorrow was the one that emptied you, causing a void that can never be replenished. He brushed at his eyes angrily. He focused on anger. He could build that up and choke the sadness with it. He let anger and frustration fester inside him.  
Stupid Virgil. Selfish Virgil. Some big brother he’d been, leaving Logan right after he promised he wouldn’t.  
Tears fell. Logan began to panic.  
Why isn’t it working? This should be working! Stupid...emotions? Tears? ...stupid Logan. Idiot. Useless.  
The words in his mind took on a new voice. A deep, drunken, and angry voice. His father’s voice. Logan clutched his head as the voice grew, screaming insults. He needed...he needed to hide. He dove into the closet without a second thought. Closing the door to all but a crack, Logan clamped a hand over his mouth to keep quiet.  
Daddy doesn’t like noise. Quiet keeps you safe, Lo-Lo.  
Virgil’s words. He’d always been there to protect Logan and he’d always told him what to do when he was gone. But...but he’d never been gone this long. Logan let a shiver wrack his form as tear turned into silent sobs. He shakily opened the door and raced out. He snatched the picture off the bookshelf and returned to his safe spot. He peered at the photo in the darkness. He traced the frame over every crack, scratch, and missing pieces. Rage overtook him. He threw the photo against the door. The sickening crack it made on impact snapped the anger and panic away. He shot up and hurried over. The frame was broken. The glass had shattered, and the picture looked up at him with pity. He carefully picked it up. Glass fell from the cracked frame with a musical sound. The photo fell out. He dropped the frame, wincing as more glass broke. He snatched the photo and moved out into the main room. He looked it over carefully, checking for damage. He flipped the photograph over and froze. On the back, scrawled in Virgil’s slanting stationary was a phone number.


	3. Can you fly home?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan is struck with the horror that he has been in possession of something that may have linked him to Virgil a long time ago. He is unsure if this is still a valid means of contacting his brother or if he is too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am still not in possession of any of the Sanders Sides characters, they are Thomas Sanders'. I just like angst and fluff and don't have the patience to make up my own characters for that right now.

Logan needed to sit down. He needed to rush to the phone. He needed to throw up. He needed...He needed...he’d better start with sitting down.   
Logan sank down onto the bed with a small strangled noise. The numbers stared back at him. Logan ran a hand over his face and took a breath. He took his glasses off, cleaned them, and then looked at the photo again. Yes, there was definitely a number on there. 10 digits. A knock sounded on his door. His head shot up and his eyes flew to the doorknob. He’d locked it.   
“Logan Storm?” Mrs. Plumber’s kind but drawling tone alerted him to who was knocking. “I heard a crash and came to see what all the ruckus was.” Logan felt panicked again. He forced himself to take a deep breath and answer truthfully.   
“I was having a panic attack and broke the glass in a photo frame I have. I will clean it up but please allow me a few more moments of solitude.” His voice held a robotic drawl to it. This wasn’t new to him. After panic attacks, he’d often pretended to be a robot. Robots felt nothing and he needed to feel nothing when his emotions were at their peak. Mrs. Plumber seemed slightly lost as to how to respond to such an answer, but Logan didn’t exactly give her time to respond as he promptly shut and locked the door.   
Now that he was alone, he returned to the bed. He looked over the numbers carefully, committing them to memory. The odd comments about changing the frame suddenly made sense. Virgil had been giving him a clue. A clue that he trusted Logan to be able to figure out. A clue that was two years old. If Logan hadn’t been feeling well before, he felt faint now. Black dots danced before him and when he opened his eyes (when had he closed them?) and he got up slowly. The first thing he had to do was clean up the glass. He retrieved a paper bag from downstairs and made quick work of the bigger pieces. The rest was swept up. He was putting the broom away when Chrissy stopped him.   
“What broke?” She demanded. Logan blinked. He’d been lost in thought and took a second to comprehend her comment.   
“A picture frame.”   
“Ours?”   
“No, mine.” The answer was supplied with an eye roll, some of the people he’d stayed with made a point to remind him how he owned nothing. Chrissy narrowed her eyes again but walked away, glancing at him occasionally. Logan resisted the urge to roll his eyes again as he made his way back to his assigned room. Once inside, he made quick work of gathering up the few things he’d bothered to unpack. A quick glance at the clock told him that it was just after 9. He set to thinking.   
He would have to figure out first where Virgil was. If he slipped out tonight and made the call and then came back, he would have the opportunity to gather up all that he might need to get by without spending money for a couple days. However, he needed to also be prepared for Virgil needing him to leave immediately. Therefore, he would have to take some necessities with him. The thought of stealing was one that didn’t appeal to Logan, but he couldn’t think of a way around it. The final possibility he had to be prepared for was if Virgil didn’t pick up. If the line was someone else or else just rang with no response, then he would come back and...  
And what?  
To be honest, Logan wasn’t sure. He only knew that he would truly give up all hope if this one phone call came to nothing. With a deep breath he stood and made his way to the door. He pulled it open and started as he came face to face with Mr. Plumber.   
“Oh,” the man struggled to remember the boy’s name. Logan didn’t supply him with one, “I came to wish you a good night.” Logan nodded slightly in acknowledgement.   
“Thank you, sir. I wish you a restful sleep.” This way of talking was obviously foreign to the older man who merely cocked an eyebrow and then shrugged. Sleep occupied his mind currently and all other oddities came second. Logan made his way to the bathroom, pleased to find it empty and took a quick shower. He took his towel back to his room with him. The sheet of material would work as a blanket should he have to sleep outside. Logan has never been happy about his thin, wiry frame. He was small in his build too. He had large brown eyes, only made bigger by his thick glasses. However, he at last found an advantage with it. He would be easily concealed in shadows and few would take notice of him. All the same, he changed into his darkest clothes, a pair of black jeans and a collared shirt. After a second of hesitation, he added a blue tie. If anyone asked him who he was or where he was going, he could tell them he was a student and his outfit, he hoped, looked enough like a school uniform to sell it. He pulled a hoodie out of the bottom of his bag and put that on as well. It was noticeably too big on him and he had to bunch it up around his wrists to gain access to his slim hands and narrow fingers. With a final glance at himself in the mirror he deemed himself properly dressed.   
Now, as it was just after 11:30, he set about to wait until about 2AM. After pacing around for 15 minutes, he finally settled on the bed, set an alarm and fell into a dazed sleep that had him starting awake many times before he deemed it late enough to truly get up. At 1:47 he grew tired of waiting and shook out the bed sheets quietly. He made the bed almost automatically, it was something that he’d done ever since he was little. A singular item that was always neat and orderly in his life. Bed made, he slipped out of his room through the door he’d left ajar on purpose. Making his way down to the kitchen and gathering a few items was the simple part. He needed to get out and that was a much more difficult task. He certainly didn’t want to leave through the front door, that would leave the house open and the family exposed to potentially being robbed. He could go through a window, but he had no clue where to go once he got outside. A faint light hit his chest and Logan felt his heart stop.   
“What are you doing?” The amount of demand in that question told Logan whom the speaker was even before he’d seen her face. Chrissy stood with determination written on her face. Logan thought for an answer a lie, but found his usually useful brain blissfully empty. He stared at her in awkward silence while she took a noisy gulp of the glass of water she was holding. He watched as the fog of her breath destroyed the transparency of the glass, leaving only the piercing black eyes staring at him over the rim.   
“I’m going to make a phone call.” He was surprised at the truth that tumbled out with his permission. The girl cocked an eyebrow and took another gulp of water. She then looked at Logan with a searching gaze.   
“To who?”  
“Whom.” Logan corrected automatically and then winced. Probably not the best course of action with someone who holds your fate. She only raised her other eyebrow at this statement. Logan sighed in defeat, “I found something that is potentially connected with my brother.”   
Chrissy spluttered, much to Logan’s secret enjoyment, and lowered her glass to cough a couple times.   
“You’re running away?!” She asked in a way that might’ve been awe but Logan wasn’t sure. He nodded slowly and then again with more determination. He then turned and walked to the living room and began hunting the shelves of the bookcase. He had to find a map or something. Chrissy stared at him before turning and pattering away. There was a period of silence during which Logan began to wonder if Chrissy had decided to betray him. The sound of steps returned, and he turned to see her holding a cell phone.   
“Here. You can call him outside.” The gesture was so unexpectedly impactful on Logan. He stared at the device as if it was some alien object he’d never seen before. He found himself outside and his fingers moving over the keypad before his mind caught up to him. He froze. What was he doing? This was ridiculous. Virgil had left that number four years ago. What was the likelihood that…he pressed call.   
He wondered if the ringing sound he heard was coming from the phone or his own head.   
“Hello?” Logan froze. That voice. “....Hello?” It said again.  
A sob broke out of him and he dropped to his knees.   
“V-verge?” He choked. There was a sound of a gasp.   
“Logan?!”  
Logan nodded, crying harder.  
“Lo-Lo! It’s Virgil. Hey, hey, don’t cry. Gosh. I can’t believe it’s you.” A warm laugh reached Logan through the phone. Logan wanted nothing more than to crawl through the phone and be reunited with his brother. It hurt. The tears slowed and he was able to think again.   
“Virgil,” his voice was hoarse, “why...”  
“Not now, Logan. I promise to tell you everything, but I want to do it in person. Where are you?”   
Logan felt eagerness rivaled with annoyance. He was angry. At Virgil.   
“Why?”  
“So, I can come to you, of course. Lo, I thought you’d be able to figure that one out.” Another chuckle. It made Logan angrier.   
“No, why did you leave me?” Silence. “Verge?” Fear gripped Logan that he’d just ruined the one chance he had to see his brother.   
“They wanted to separate us.” The words were spoken in low tones of anger. “They wanted to take you away from me, but I couldn’t let them. I left. I wanted to take you with me, but I didn’t have anything. I had to make it so I could give you a home and food a-and just take care of you. I hoped you’d find the number I left…but I’ve been looking for you, Lo-Lo. I-I thought maybe you’d been adopted or...” A pause, “Logan, have you been adopted?” The amount of fear in Virgil’s voice almost stopped Logan’s heart.  
He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or scoff at the question, so he simply gave a small “no” and heard Virgil sigh in relief.   
“Where are you? I’m coming to get you.”


	4. Where Did Your Family Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After years, Virgil and Logan have finally spoken. Now, time seems to drag for both until they are reunited...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good morning, Peeps! I just wanted to say thank you for all the remarkable comments! Every time I get one, I think that the way I feel must be what Patton feels on a good day. :)   
I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving and ate lots of food. Can't believe Christmas is almost here! Time for cookies and more food!!!

The length of time that it would take Virgil to get to him was uncertain. Logan occupied his time with school and putting up the Plumber girls. It was almost a week after the phone call and Logan was walking back to the Plumber’s after school. Rain soaked his clothes and just about everything but his water-proof back pack. He kept his eyes trained on the sidewalk to avoid seeing the stares of sympathy from the people in their cars. He made it back to the house in time for dinner. The family was oddly quiet. Logan found the change pleasant. He could almost get used to the girls having sore throats. Mr. Plumber read his paper and Mrs. Plumber scrolled through her phone, looking at recipes. Logan finished his meal, asked to be excused, washed and dried his plate, cup, and utensils, and retreated upstairs to finish the last of his homework. He looked out the window after that, just staring at the stars. The lights on the streets and coming from the houses made it hard to find many of the constellations that he’d learned to love. Finally, he turned away and prepared himself for bed. He crawled into the soft mattress and fell into a light, uneasy sleep that had him tossing and turning.   
*Rat* *Tap* *Tap*  
Logan opened his eyes and squinted into the dark. There was a rhythmic tapping. A clink of something against glass. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. With a curious glance around, he was able to locate the source of the noise. The boy slid out of bed and pattered over to it, trying to see into the dark. Another pebble hit the glass. Concern flooded Logan as he moved back to the bed and grabbed his glasses and dug a flashlight out of his backpack. Weapon in hand, he crept back to the portal and clicked on the light. He flashed it down and was surprised to see a figure clad in all black, crouched in the yard below. A hand came up to shield the light and Logan could see that the intruder wore fingerless gloves. He opened the window and leaned out over the sill. The intruder stood.  
“Curiosity is gonna kill you one of these days, Lo-Lo.” He said simply, moving his hand away to squint into the light source. Logan almost dropped the light.  
“Verge?” He asked with a gaping mouth. Virgil looked panicked as he brought a finger up to his lips,  
“Sh! Turn the light off and come downstairs…please.” He looked urgently up at his brother and watched him vanish from view.  
Logan couldn’t move fast enough. He tiptoed down the stairs as quickly as he could, praying that no one else was awake. He got to the back door and unlocked it. As it swung open he had to simply stop and stare. Virgil stood before him, the moonlight perfectly hitting the left side of his face. Long bangs, held in place by a black beanie, covered his right eye but Logan could see the moonlight glinting off it. The teen was tall, much taller than Logan recalled. He stood in a baggy hoodie and looked back at Logan.   
Virgil took Logan in, gosh, he was still skinny. In fact, it appeared that Logan had lost significant weight since Virgil had left. The elder boy bit his lip in worry. He’d always been there to make sure that Logan was taken care of properly. He was so tiny in his blue stripped pjs. The large brown eyes looked at him from behind the big spectacles and Virgil couldn’t help but think of a baby bird. He smiled at the thought and carefully lifted his arms up. This was it. Would Logan reject him? Turn him away? Heaven knows he was deserving of such treatment. With bated breath, he waited.  
Logan stared at the outstretched arms. His mind was going a million miles a minute as he stepped onto the dew-laden lawn. It felt uncomfortable on his bare feet. He took another step forward and took another deep breath, trying to understand that what was in front of him was real. Then he ran. He raced towards the older boy, towards Virgil, towards home. He slipped on the slick grass and dropped to his knees in front of him and the two looked at each other again in the moonlight. The wet grass soaked into their clothes and the crickets fell reverently still, observing the reunion with respect.  
The two boys sat in silence, like they were unsure of how to cope with each other’s presence. Logan was blinking hard, trying to hold back his tears. Suddenly, Virgil grabbed him and pulled him close. Logan let out a broken sob at the sudden contact and Virgil began to rock him slowly.  
“I’ve got you.” He murmured, “I won’t let you go again. You’re safe now, Lo-Lo.” So, Logan let himself go and he cried. He cried and Virgil held him just like he used to. Just like it should’ve been. The tears subsided and hiccups set in. Logan always got them after he cried hard, and they used to make Virgil worry about their father finding them. As soon as the first one came out, Logan stiffened and clamped a hand over his mouth. Virgil held him closer, “It’s okay,” He soothed, “he’s not here. I’ve got you.”   
Time froze between them. Logan hiccupped occasionally and Virgil smoothed his hair back. It must’ve been mere minutes, but it felt like hours when Virgil gently pulled them both up. Logan gripped his hand and Virgil brushed away a lone tear.   
“Go get your things, Lo. We’re leaving.” Logan blinked at him in surprise.  
“Where are we going?” He asked carefully.  
“Home.” Virgil promised. He squeezed Logan’s hand again, “I’ll wait for you out here. I promise.” Logan didn’t let go. He stared at the house and bit his lip.   
Was he ready to just leave it all behind? He was torn. Running off with Virgil was a decision that he didn’t feel was something that he should take lightly. But could he…lose Virgil again? No, not again. With a fiery determination, Logan slipped his fingers free and crept back into the house. He was swept with Deja vu as he began to gather his meager belongings together. He’d performed this ritual hundreds of times, first came the clothes. The pants, the shirts, and then the pjs slowly made their way into the backpack. He paused only to change into some black jeans and a collared shirt. He added a tie out of habit and continued the ritual of packing. Next went his books. There were only two of them, an Alice in Wonderland puzzle book and a well-worn copy of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. He tucked these in with care and finally grasped the picture. He hesitated, without the frame, the photo could be damaged. Finally, he slipped it into the middle of his puzzle book. He pulled on the hoodie and then shrugged on the pack. With a final glance around, he turned off the light and closed the door to a crack. The house was quiet as he treaded lightly down the stairs. At the back door he paused and looked back.   
“Good-bye.”   
Virgil was waiting outside, just as he promised. He took in Logan’s outfit as he extended his hand towards him. Logan trotted over and slipped his own hand into Virgil’s. Together, they slipped into the night.


	5. Baby Bird, Such Wide Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to continue the tale! What Sanders Sides story would be complete without our favorite fun-loving fatherly figment? Not this one!

The bus ride was a long one. The driver didn’t bother to give them a second look, she looked tired. There were a few other people on the bus. A woman with scraggly hair fastened her eyes on Logan and, when he got closer, shot out a boney hand. Her lips parted in a toothless smile as she babbled incoherently. Logan recoiled as much as he could and bumped into Virgil. The teen wrapped an arm around Logan and hissed at the woman. She looked up, confused at the defense tactic and then shrunk under the dark glare. Virgil took the liberty to glare at everyone after that and made sure that Logan go into the seat near the window while he sat next to the aisle.   
Logan let the rhythm of the bus begin to pull at his eyelids. When he realized that he was drifting off, he jerked awake, as if he was afraid that Virgil would vanish as soon as he closed his eyes. Virgil let his fingers thread through the soft brown locks. He whispered and hummed gently. Finally, sleep received permission to take Logan into a dreamless slumber.   
When he woke next, it was because his brother was shaking him gently.   
“Come on, Buddy.” He muttered, “We’re here. It’s just a short walk and then you can go back to sleep, I promise.” Logan stretched and rubbed his eyes. Immediate confusion settled in as he looked for his glasses. The mystery was solved as Virgil produced them from his hoodie pocket. Hand in hand, they left the bus, Logan shrinking away from the toothless woman as they passed. It was still dark, and Logan didn’t hesitate to press close to Virgil. He clutched to the oversized hoodie and was reassured by Virgil’s arm slipping around his shoulders. The pale blue building that they ended up in front of wasn’t what Logan had been expecting but he was too tired to let his curiosity take hold of him completely. Virgil guided him into the small apartment and flipped on a light.   
Logan let his bag drop and he was carefully led to a bed. He sleepily changed out of his clothes before he was swaddled in a hoodie that smelled like Virgil. He was tugged into bed and the lamp was clicked off. Virgil pulled Logan closer and curled them both up under the covers. Logan didn’t bother resisting the touch he’d so long denied himself. He wiggled closer and hid his face in Virgil’s neck. Virgil’s grip on him tightened and his fingers began carding through his locks. Logan let his eyes fall shut and the last thing he remembered was gentle fingers removing his glasses.   
Daylight greeted Logan through an open shade. He shifted and turned, his face meeting a warm solid object that he pushed closer to. It emitted a chuckle and a gentle hand traced up and down his back.   
“Logan?” He called softly, “you have to release me, Buddy. I’ve gotta go.” Logan yawned and curled closer. “Hey,” Virgil coaxed, “you can sleep longer, okay? I’ve gotta go though.” Logan sighed as Verge shifted them both into a sitting position. Virgil honestly would’ve preferred to stay like that, but he had a job to get to. He pushed the blankets off them and slipped off the bed, still holding Logan close. He was honestly surprised at how small the boy still was. Worry pierced him as he returned the bundle to the bed. He wandered into the kitchen and prepared a simple but abundant breakfast. He took a small amount for himself and ate it quickly while he scribbled a note for his baby brother. He took a fast shower and brushed his teeth. As he began to slip on his shoes, he heard the patter of bare feet in the entryway. He looked up to see Logan holding his note in his hand and the big hoodie falling to his mid thighs.   
“Morning, Lo-lo.” He smiled and Logan shuffled in for a hug. He paused, hesitating before Virgil pulled him in. Logan sighed and rested his head on his big brother’s shoulder. “I’ve gotta go to work, Lo-lo. I’m gonna look into school and whatnot for you during break. I’ll make sure to call you too.” He stood and pulled on a backpack. “There’s food in the fridge for lunch, okay? And books. You can unpack and stuff.” Logan nodded sleepily and Virgil chuckled, ruffling his hair. “I love ya, be back by 8:30 at latest.” He turned and left, locking the door behind him.  
“Morning, Kiddo!” He turned to see Patton, his landlord, fixing an outdoor light. The cheery man had been trying to befriend the angsty teen for months and had made progress. Chocolate chip cookies did wonders. Virgil offered him a signature smirk,  
“Morning, Mr. Sanders.” Patton tutted and shook his head,  
“My name’s Patton, Kiddo, Mr. Sanders is my Dad.” He chuckled at his over used joke and Virgil offered him an affectionate eyeroll. “You off to work, then?” Virgil nodded,  
“Yeah, I should be back by 8.” Familiar worry lines creased Patton’s forehead.  
“You don’t want me to pick you up? I know you normally take the bus but…that’s kind of late to be out on your own.” Virgil shook his head,  
“Thanks Patton but I don’t want to be a bother. I’ve got my pocketknife and the taser you gave me.” He patted his backpack to reassure the older man before he headed out. He turned back once to give a friendly salute and Patton waved. Once outside the main entrance, the smirk vanished, earbuds went in, and Virgil glowered at all who dared to make eye contact. The world was a cruel place.   
Patton watched the boy disappear before sighing. He climbed off the step ladder and planted his hands on his hips. Virgil hadn’t been home for several days and he hadn’t seen the teen come in yesterday. Virgil must’ve gotten back extremely late for Patton to have finally abandoned the front desk and called it a night. He’d been worried sick about the boy. He still was worried. The man looked towards the purple door that marked Virgil’s apartment. He wandered up to it and let his hand rest against the wood. With a final shake of his head he turned to leave, no reason to stay here, right?   
Work sucked. It always did. Virgil grabbed a stray fry and popped it into his mouth while no one was looking. Then he glanced at the clock. Ugh, he’d only been here for two hours. He had another hour and a half before his break. With a grunt he filled another plastic container with fries and coated them with salt.   
Logan unpacked slowly; Virgil had few possessions, so it was easy to find places to put his belongings. He put the picture up on the fridge with a magnet. He’d have to secure a frame for it later. After a quick tidy of the place, Logan settled down to a book until hunger drove him to eat something. He prepared a simple lunch of leftovers for himself. Another round of cleaning up and then back to his book. Unbeknownst to him, sleep stole over and quietly sent him into slumber.  
Virgil hummed a little as he walked into the main office. He was headed towards the elevator when a voice called him back,  
“Kiddo? Got a second?” The teen plucked an earbud out before turning and wandering back over to the desk.  
“For you, Pat? I’ve got more than one.” Patton grinned at the joke.  
“Aw! Thanks, Kiddo!” He chuckled slightly, “Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner on Saturday still?” Virgil’s smile faltered. It was the third Saturday. He and Patton had an agreement that, if Virgil came and had dinner with the man once a month, that Patton would give him a discount. Those had become the nights that Virgil lived for. The warm room with dog posters and inspirational quotes everywhere, the homecooked meals that Patton worked so hard on, the crappy dad-jokes and exaggerated stories, and just the overall feeling of belonging somewhere. Virgil wanted to kick himself, but he knew he couldn’t just leave Logan…  
“Patton?” He asked haltingly. His fingers began to tug at the edge of his hoodie and he could feel his shakiness begin. Patton stood and rounded the desk, taking Virgil’s hands gently. He hummed quietly, coaxing the boy to continue. “Would it…could I…” Virgil choked on his words and Patton rubbed his thumbs carefully over his hands. “A friend?” Virgil finally whispered. “Could I bring a friend?” Patton blinked once, then twice.   
The man’s smile could blind a shooting star.  
“Oh, my goodness, of course you can, Virgil!” Patton squeezed his hands and Virgil let out a gasp of relief.  
“Really? You wouldn’t mind? I wouldn’t be ruining the evening?” The man before him smiled, pulling Virgil into a hug,  
“Of course not, Kiddo. I’m so proud that you made a friend!” The teen relaxed. Patton gave the best hugs. He was soft and solid and warm, and you could just forget everything and melt into his embrace. Which is exactly what Virgil did. Too soon, he drew away and bid Patton a quiet goodnight before marching back to his apartment, freaking out the whole way.  
How could he bring Logan on Saturday?! Patton was like, a mastermind when it came to families! He would figure out that Virgil had a brother and then he would find out about their past and turn them both in! Virgil froze a terrifying though hit him; if Patton turned them in, would he ever see Logan again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aren't they all great?! Too bad not all stories stay happy...


	6. Watching Life Pass You By

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (This chapter is because of KieraElieson.) Logan and Virgil are settling down just fine! Brotherly love and all that! Besides, who ever thought that the idea that younger siblings were annoying and frustrating was ever true? I mean, come on...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everybody thank KieraElieson for this chapter! I was gonna rip your hearts out brutally but I guess I'll save that for a different day. :)

Virgil approached the door to his apartment just in time to hear a muffled bang. Panic ripped through him. He fumbled with the keys and tore the door open. Inside, he was confronted with an interesting spectacle. Logan sat in the midst of various materials, covered in flour, with an old science book open next to him. The counter was filled with bowls and cups, so much so that Logan was forced to set the book and himself on the floor. He was kneeling in front of it now, blinking up at Virgil. The boy looked unharmed, leaving the origin of the bang still a mystery. Virgil spluttered a few moments, looking for words, as the microwave beeped. He turned to see something coating the inside of the machine. Logan’s quite voice pipped up behind him,  
“Oh, so eggs do explode in the microwave.” He removed his glasses and cleaned them, the movement causing a dusting of flour to fill the air. Virgil turned and took in the small form. Logan appeared calm but Virgil knew better, his shoulders were tense, and his head was erect, but his eyes were lowered. His movements were stiff, and Virgil could tell he was pretending. Pain hit him in the chest as he thought back to the first time, he’d seen this behavior.  
Logan hadn’t been older than three when Virgil had been forced to hide him and leave him alone all night. He hadn’t had time to explain himself, either. He’d shoved the boy into a cupboard and ordered him to stay still and quiet, “Like a robot” those words had held more of an impact than Virgil had bargained for. How many times had Logan shifted to this behavior? He became aloof and hid in his mind. Holding emotion in and shoving it down, quiet and compliant, just like a robot. As time had dragged on, the coping mechanism had become an obsessive behavior. There had been a long time when Virgil hadn’t seen Logan at all; just the robot. Logan would become stiff and silent and obedient. Virgil could recall how scared he had become, trying and failing to get his Lo-lo back. Now, Logan glanced hesitantly up at his older brother. Virgil sighed and let his shoulders sag,  
“I could’ve told you that, Lo.” He let his gaze sweep around the room and let his backpack fall to the ground with a satisfying thud, “Let’s get this place cleaned up.”  
The mess looked worse than it was, as it is in many cases, and it was well on its way to being finished when a knock sounded at the door. Virgil tensed and shot a glance at Logan. The younger boy was still, listening for further sounds and watching Virgil. The teen picked up the cutting board and wandered to the door, he peered through the peephole and felt his heart rate slow. He lowered the deadly weapon and slid the latch on the door open.   
“Hey, Pat.” He smirked shyly at the cheery landlord, “Need something?” Patton beamed and bounced a little,  
“Only to ask you what you wanted for dinner on Saturday, my Angelic Songbird!” Virgil raised an eyebrow at the name and bit his lip at the question.  
“Ummmm…whatever you want to make is good with me…” He muttered as he set the cutting board down against the wall. He hated making decisions. Patton knew this. Patton knew this and insisted on continuing to ask every week. Patton knew this, continued to ask every week, and Virgil always gave the same answer. Patton crossed his arms, just like always,  
“Now, Virge, I know you like to make everything easy for me but, honestly, Kiddo, I want you to pick something!” He watched as Virgil shook his bangs in front of his face and gnawed at his lip. Suddenly, he looked up and then darted his gaze away. A light blush colored his cheeks.  
“Could we, um, that is, if it isn’t too much trouble…you know what? Never mind, I don’t wanna...” Patton leaned forward and tilted Virgil’s head up. The teen stopped talking altogether. Patton took two slow breaths and waited for the anxious boy to mimic him.   
“Now, what is it, Virgil?” Patton was patient, Virgil hated and loved that about him.   
“Couldwehavethatchocolatecakewiththejaminbetweenthelayersagain?” Patton blinked and took a moment to decipher the jumbled request. Once he had, however, his signature smile was back and as blinding as ever.   
“Of course, Kiddo!” He chuckled happily and extended an arm towards the teen. Virgil slipped through the door and let himself be bundled into a hug. He took a deep breath and felt his whole body relax. Patton smelled like home and safety. Virgil burrowed closer subconsciously. Frick, where did this man get his shirts?! Material this soft should not be allowed to exist. Patton finally sighed and pulled back, “I’ll see you Saturday then, right?”   
“Right.” Virgil smirked. Patton turned and began to walk away with a little bounce in his step. Virgil paused to watch him before turning to go back inside. He was stopped by Patton’s cheery voice once more,  
“Oh! And don’t forget to bring Logan!”  
Logan was still standing where Virgil had left him. Seeing his brother unharmed, Logan’s fear was replaced with careful curiosity.   
“Who is Patton?” He asked as Virgil resumed cleaning. Virgil turned and looked Logan up and down, twisting his mouth into an amused smirk,  
“Go get cleaned up and then I’ll tell you.” The younger boy groaned but scuttled off anyway. Virgil snorted and began to scrub the microwave out. A few minutes later he sighed and placed his hands on his hips. He surveyed the now clean kitchen. The blue counters were once again cleared and the white cabinets were no longer covered in mysterious liquids. The tile floor was scrubbed clean and the microwave was reassembled. The patter of footsteps echoed as Logan scurried down the short hallway and into the small sitting room that sat just across from the kitchen. His hair was wet and the long baggy material of one of Virgil’s many hoodies covered his slender form. Virgil walked over and ruffled his brother’s hair, sending water droplets in every direction. Logan grunted in annoyance at the treatment and Virgil huffed a laugh.   
“Come on, let’s go to the bedroom.” He led the smaller boy down the hall, and it wasn’t long before the brothers clambered into the large bed and tugged the purple quilt up around them.   
“So,” Logan demanded, “who is he?” Virgil laughed and rolled over on his side, looking into Logan’s glasses that reflected the dim light given off by the lamp in the corner. He struggled for a way to start.  
“Patton is…” He paused, searching for words, “he saved me, honestly. When I first ran away, I had nothing. Nothing but determination and a ridiculous dream. Well, dreams don’t feed you or give you a place to sleep. It was a pretty cold night and I was hunting for food when Patton came across me.” Virgil dropped his gaze and pressed his mouth into a firm line, “If it weren’t for Patton…I don’t know if I would’ve made it.”   
Logan let this information sink in as he wriggled closer to Virgil’s safety and warmth.   
“He seems nice.” He finally muttered, twisting his fist in the purple material of the quilt and letting Virgil remove his glasses. Virgil huffed another laugh,  
“Yeah,” he muttered as he flicked the lamp off and pressed a kiss to Logan’s hair, “he’s pretty awesome.”


	7. Baby Bird, Can You Fly?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saturday is approaching and Virgil is freaking out about what to do with Logan and Patton. Because, if Patton found out, he would send them away! Or would he? The man was too nice to rip them apart! Or was he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is Christmas without some drastic change in the story line!

Saturday approached all too quickly for Virgil’s liking. He had hardly had time to breath in between shifts when he found himself heading home on Friday evening. His phone read 6:47 pm as he dragged himself into the front office and headed to the elevator. Patton was no where to be seen and Virgil was slightly disappointed. He had been looking forward to a hug from the man. Oh well, he pressed the button to his floor and leaned against the wall tiredly. He was looking forward to having the following day off but was still panicking about Logan and Patton meeting. He groaned and unlocked his apartment door.  
“Logan? I’m home.” He called as he shut the door behind him and shrugged off his backpack. Silence greeted him. Virgil paused, “Logan?”   
A muffled cough, so quiet that Virgil almost didn’t hear it, came from the coat closet. Virgil gently knocked before opening the door. Sure enough, Logan was curled up in one of the corners, wrapped in a blanket and blinking in the sudden light. His face was pale, and he looked exhausted. He shivered and pulled the blanket closer. Virgil’s brow creased with worry as he crouched down and pressed a hand against the younger boy’s forehead.   
“You’re burning up.” He muttered and Logan let out a whine at the loss of contact. Virgil straightened, beckoning the boy to follow him. Logan slowly crawled out of his hiding spot and rose, tense and ready to dive back into the safety of the closet. Virgil carefully pulled the boy into a hug and led him to the bed. With some quiet coaxing, Logan was settled under the covers. “How are you feeling?” Virgil asked, earning himself a grunt and an annoyed look. “Alright, alright, I meant more what hurts? Are you nauseous?” The boy in question somehow paled more that the mention of nausea. Virgil took that as a que to get a bucket.   
A glass of water and, after a struggle, some soup sent Logan into a restless sleep while Virgil looked for the medicine that Patton had gotten for him the last time he was sick. He found it and was heading back into the bedroom when he heard Logan retching. He sighed and pushed panic down as he hurried to the boy’s side.   
Logan felt a hand on his back as he tired and failed to regain control of himself. He let out a frustrated noise as he fell back onto the pillows. The smell that wafted the room was pungent. Virgil wordlessly took the bucket out after replacing it with a new one. Logan felt miserable. He curled up and closed his eyes tightly. He wanted nothing more than just to sleep. He was so tired! Last night he’d woken up with a sore throat and a fever and hadn’t been able to rest after that. Knowing Virgil had work, he’d kept quiet. This was his fourth time throwing up and, although he’d made sure to drink water, he wanted it just to stop. Tears leaked out of his closed eyes and he felt someone gently scoop him up. The smell of Virgil filled him and he hid his face against the hoodie.   
“Drink, Logan. I brought you some water and some medicine.” Logan pried his eyes open and obeyed. He tossed and turned a while after that before burrowing into Virgil’s sides and drifting off. The teen carefully brushed Logan’s hair back before pulling out his phone. Time drifted by peacefully until Logan threw up again. Virgil’s worry and anxiety steadily rose as the night progressed. He and Logan eventually ended up on the bathroom floor, both hardly catching any sleep. Finally, as 3 o’clock approached them, Virgil gave into his anxiety and pulled out his phone. Logan was still curled into his side as he raised his phone to his ear.   
It rang once, twice, thrice, and Virgil was considering just hanging up and trying again closer to sunrise when a sleepy voice called him out of his thoughts.  
“Hello?” Virgil felt his anxiety spike but one glance at Logan sealed his resolve,  
“Patton? It’s Virgil.” He could hear the other man moving around.  
“What’s wrong, Kiddo? It’s three AM, Buddy.” Patton was pulling on his bath robe and shoving his slippers on. Virgil’s voice was shaky and laced with exhaustion.   
“Can you come to my apartment, please? I need your help.” The request was unnecessary. Patton was already heading out his door and to the elevator. He made his way to the apartment door, asking Virgil questions the whole way. Unhelpfully, Virgil merely continued to ask that he come to his apartment.   
“All right, I’m here. Is the door unlocked?” Patton stood in front of the purple door, nervously twisting his bathrobe in his hands. In response, Virgil opened the door. He was dressed in purple plaid pajama pants and a plain white undershirt. He looked tired and quietly stepped to the side to allow Patton entry.   
“Sorry, I just didn’t know who else to call.” Virgil muttered as Patton looked him up and down, the teen seemed fine. What was wrong with his kid? He anxiously cupped the boy’s chin and Virgil met his worried gaze. Reading the expression, Virgil shook himself free.   
“I’m fine, Pat.” He promised before grabbing the man’s hand and tugging him into the bedroom. Patton looked around the room. The sheets on the bed were disheveled and papers lay on the desk in the corner. An unfamiliar backpack slouched near the wall but nothing unusual caught his attention. Virgil looked around, tensing as he dropped to the floor and peered under the bed, “Logan?” He asked, shuffling to his feet once more.  
He finally wandered over to the closet and knocked gently,  
“Logan?” He called softly before opening the door and crouching down. Quietly, he conversed with the darkness and reached into it. Thin, pale arms met him halfway and a thin, pale form was quietly drawn into Virgil’s lap. Two big, scared brown eyes peered at Patton as he registered shock and then protective instincts. He moved slowly forward. The brown eyes widened and hid themselves against Virgil’s neck, the teen turned and looked towards Patton. He offered him a tight smile and shifted so he was sitting more comfortably on the floor. Patton dropped down a few feet away, his knees protesting slightly.  
“Logan, I presume?” He asked. The question was geared towards Virgil, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the slightly shivering figure. With the thin frame, tiny build, and baggy clothing, the boy looked impossibly small. This, accompanied by the large eyes, reminded Patton of a baby bird. He cooed softly as Virgil coaxed Logan’s head out of hiding.  
Logan stared at the blurry blob of a figure before him and then cast his eyes about for his glasses. Virgil seemed to sense this and reached a long arm over to the nightstand, retrieving the item. Logan slid them on and stared back at the man. Patton’s heart melted as the brown eyes were magnified by the lenses.   
“Lo, this is Patton. Patton, this is Logan…my baby brother.”


	8. Baby Bird, On Your Own

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is literally the whole chapter: Patton sees new kiddo. New kiddo is sad and tiny. Patton dads hard.   
That's it. You can go now.

The silence that hit the room was uncomfortable. Virgil waited, holding his breath. This had been a dumb idea, he thought to himself, Patton was going to take Logan, or report them. The man was kind but Virgil had done something ridiculous! This was such a poorly thought out idea and he didn’t even have a back up plan! He should’ve been prepared to fight, to run, at least to hide! But no! He’d called Patton here like an idiot and-  
“Hey, Kiddo,” Patton whispered, slowly shuffling forward. Logan stared at him, tense and unmoving. Patton didn’t stop until his knees gently bumped Virgil’s legs. Logan seemed to shrink into Virgil as the man got closer. Virgil’s voice rumbled next to his ear, vibrating his chest.  
“He’s sick.” He explained, “I wouldn’t have called but he’s been throwing up and I’m not sure what’s wrong.” A note of panic slipped into the teen’s voice and Patton cast a worried glance towards him. He tentatively reached towards the younger boy.   
Logan pushed back at the same moment that Virgil urged him forward. He realized he was being ridiculous; Virgil obviously trusted this man. When the soft palm came to rest against his forehead, he tried not to flinch. Patton smoothed his hair back and smiled warmly.   
“How are you feeling?” He asked. He kept himself open, unthreatening and careful. Logan blinked at him,  
“I am not feeling especially well. However, I have tried to reassure Virgil that I have contracted nothing more serious than the flu. I expect to be fully recovered, at most, in the next few days.” Patton’s eyebrows rose at the plethora of words that spewed forth from the tiny intellectual. A smile danced across his features and Logan wondered how someone could look so sunny.  
“I’d say you’ve probably got it right.” The landlord agreed. Virgil breathed a sigh of relief and let his shoulders sag. Thank goodness Logan was going to be alright.   
The boy had always had poorer health than Virgil. He hadn’t been aware of how poor until they had entered the foster system. According to one school nurse, Logan had come down with more flus, stomach aches, colds, migraines, and nose bleeds than any other student. It had always followed the same routine, too. When they were little, Logan would isolate himself, hiding from Virgil to keep him from getting sick. In school, that didn’t change. It usually wasn’t until Virgil got home that he learned that Logan had visited the nurse, sent by a sympathetic teacher. Even sick, Logan was stubborn beyond belief.   
He had fought being sent home with passion. School was the first freedom he was granted, and knowledge was the source of his power. He was small, sickly, and weak physically but his mind, oh that mind. It was like a sponge, it soaked up knowledge and stored it. Grades became his score board in the game of life and he was winning. His teachers said he had trouble making friends, his social workers told him that he needed to socialize, but Virgil told him he was proud and that was all that really mattered. He vowed to always learn after that, and to learn the truth. Others called him a nerd but that was fine, he could fire off facts faster than bullets.   
“Sorry to bother you, Pat.” Virgil glanced down as Logan shifted himself to be more comfortable. Apparently, he had no intentions of vacating his perch. Patton smiled and stood, moving to the bed and untangling the sheets.  
“I’m glad you called me, Virgil. I must admit, though, I’m a tad confused as to when you got a brother.” Logan looked confused.  
“When he was four.” He stated. Patton paused, glancing at them.   
“And…how old are you, Logan?” Logan squinted at the man and pressed his lips into a hard line. He wasn’t going to break that easily. Virgil had tensed behind him. Patton sighed and turned to face them. “Virge, I’ve known for a while that you aren’t eighteen.” The teen hunched in on himself and bundled Logan closer.   
“Yeah?” He growled, defensively, “What are you gonna do about it?”   
“I’m going to invite you and Logan to come to my apartment and tell me everything.”   
“…what?” The offer was the last thing Virgil had expected to hear and his confusion was evident on his face. Patton rose and began to flip lights off.   
“Come on, we can take care of Logan better in my apartment.” It wasn’t a question and warning bells went off in Logan’s mind. Virgil didn’t move. Unphased by the lack of cooperation, Patton reached down and plucked Logan’s backpack off the ground, holding it out.   
“Put some cloths and whatnot in here. I’ll wait for you.” Virgil finally rose.  
Patton held their place of living as well as their fate. Resisting him seemed like a bad idea. Yeah, he would probably report them, but Virgil had run once, and he could do it again. He was nearly seventeen and, come his eighteenth birthday, he could take custody of Logan and ensure that no one would separate them again. Still, that was over a year away and listening to Patton became a necessary evil. Logan stood as Virgil wrapped a blanket around his thin shoulders. The boy stood there, gripping the material as it slid down off one of his shoulders and pooled at his feet. His wide eyes followed Virgil’s grim face as his brother shoved some items into the backpack. Finally, he shuffled forward and reached out, gripping the material of Virgil’s hoodie securely in his slender fingers. Virgil paused, glancing over his shoulder and offered a tight smile. His eyes flashed a protective light and Logan let himself relax a little. Virgil wasn’t giving up; he was determined to protect Logan no matter what. Patton stood at the door, holding it open.   
The three moved out into the night, pausing only to let Patton lock the door with his master key. They moved to the elevator in silence. Patton looked serious and thoughtful, making Virgil nervous. The mere moments they spent in the enclosed space were enough to cause Virgil’s breath to speed up. Patton’s head swiveled in his direction, his eyes softening.  
“Breath, Virgil.” He reminded him gently. Virgil focused on his breathing, but it did nothing to stop his thudding heart. They reached the bottom floor and Patton led them to a sky-blue door with two gold zeros on the front of it. He unlocked the door and pushed it open, ushering them inside.   
The clean space was pleasing to look over. The carpet was a soft white and the curtains had cream colored flowers scattered across them. A light blue sofa was against one wall and the kitchen peered into the living room over a granite bar counter. The cupboards were warm brown and gave the room a home-like feeling. The walls were littered with pictures. Some were sketches, others photographs, and some were cut outs from newspapers and magazines. A vintage desk sat near the door with papers stacked neatly upon it in various piles. The television rested opposite the sofa. Directing them to the long piece of furniture, Patton moved to the kitchen and bustled about for a few minutes.   
Virgil and Logan glanced at one another. They could run. Right then, they could dart out and be gone. Virgil had put his wallet in Logan’s backpack so they would have some money. Then again, Patton knew where Virgil worked. He knew the places he frequented. The man would be able to find them and, if he didn’t, he would notify the police. Besides, Logan was sick, and Virgil wasn’t going to hurt him or risk him getting worse. Logan read his expressions and sagged a little. He was willing to do whatever Virgil wanted but he also felt miserable. Between his throbbing head, tender stomach, and anxiety ridden heart, he considered himself in less than ideal conditions to be running anywhere.   
Patton returned, holding a box of crackers, a can of ginger ale and a package of Oreo cookies. The box and drink he handed to Logan before settling next to Virgil and opening the cookies.   
“Okay,” he breathed, patting one leg for emphasis, “story time!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter....heheheheheheheheheheheheHEHEHEHEHEHE


	9. Baby Bird, What is Home?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil is forced to tell a story, Logan is forced to trust a stranger, Patton is forced to make the most difficult decision in his life. Could this story get an more angsty?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are all enjoying the New Year! Me? What? Here to spill some angst and ruin your day?! Noooooo...never...  
Unless.  
WARNING! MENTIONS OF PANIC ATTACKS AND PAST ABUSE! LIKE, PARENT CHILD NOT GOOD. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

“Patton…” Virgil began and then stopped.   
His throat seemed to close, and his lungs refused to draw air properly. He could see him. The flash of angry eyes, the crash of a bottle against a wall, and the stench of alcohol in the air. The soft white walls became splotched with various stains and the carpet was replaced by jagged pieces of broken glass. He was filled with the overwhelming desire to hide, to get Logan into a safe place, and to be completely and totally silent. His fingers shook and he gripped at his hoodie strings in a frantic effort to bring himself back to the present. It all seemed so real that when a soft hand slipped into his, he shouted and scrambled away, clutching Logan to himself in the process.   
Patton sat with his hand still raised to reach the young man. An unspeakable sadness clutched his heart and he wanted nothing more than to help them both. His eyes sought Logan next, already wanting to comfort and protect the boy he already thought of as “his baby bird”. The younger boy seemed alarmed but not unprepared for the reaction. Patton watched in awe as the smaller of the brothers reached out and gently pulled Virgil’s hood up.  
“I’m safe.” He promised softly.   
Virgil blinked a few times and then let tears slip down his cheeks. He looked down and found the deep pools of brown that stared back at him. Logan reached a slender hand up and carefully brushed away a tear. Virgil was filled simultaneously with a gentle fondness and a fire to protect the boy in his arms. He pulled Logan closer and pressed a kiss into his hair. Logan returned the grip with equal ferocity, helping to ground the anxious teen. The wise brown eyes fastened themselves on Patton’s frozen form.  
“Our father was extremely abusive.” He stated like it was a fact from a book instead of a traumatic event. “I’ve been informed that our mother abandoned us shortly after I turned one. Virgil and I were left in the care of the man who helped conceive us, but he was hardly what you would call a ‘good parent’. He beat us regularly, drank heavily, and did little to provide for us. Virgil raised me mostly, until the night our father…” Here, Logan’s strong façade cracked. His voice caught and he stared off into the distance, as if reliving some memory. Virgil tucked him closer to his side, trying to shield him from the skeletons that haunted their closet.   
“We were found that night and taken into custody. After that it was foster care.” Unspoken stories raced through the siblings’ minds and silence slipped over the group.  
“How old were you?” Patton asked quietly. His eyes were cloudy, and he hadn’t taken even one cookie. His attention was on the two boys who, for the first time, were sharing their tragic story with someone who actually cared.  
“I was eight, Logan was four.” Virgil continued, “When I was fourteen, I heard that they planned to separate us. I knew I couldn’t let that happen so, as soon as I turned 15, I high tailed it and began working odd jobs. I left a phone number on the back of a photograph so he could contact me.”  
“Of course,” Logan muttered, “I didn’t find the number until recently.” Virgil shifted his hold on Logan and brushed some of the hair from his eyes.  
“I didn’t exactly tell him where it was, or even give him anything other than a vague passing comment. Not sure it could even be considered a ‘clue’. Anyway, I ended up here and, when I had means of supporting myself, I started to look for Lo. He found the number about a week ago and here we are.”  
Patton looked between them. Virgil had never seen the man look so completely blank. He tensed as Patton removed his glasses and cleaned them.   
“And what were you planning on doing now, Virgil?” The older teen drew himself up and squared his shoulders.   
“I’m going to keep Logan and officially claim him when I turn 18.” Patton noted the fierce determination in the boy’s eyes. Logan was looking up at his brother with complete and total trust in his abilities.   
To separate them would be not only be cruel, but it would have severe repercussions. Patton could think back to when Virgil first showed up. A boy, shaking from the cold and trembling from something else.   
It had been at the end of a long day for Patton and he’d been heading back to the apartments to get some well-deserved rest when he’d seen a thin figure spreading a sleeping bag in a darkened alleyway. He’d tried to keep going, honestly. His fingers drummed against the steering wheel and he hummed to distract himself. Every time he peered into the dark, though, he swore he saw a flash of a thin purple sleeping bag or the outline of a scrawny figure in a patched-up hoodie. He’d almost made it all the way back to the soft blue building when his conscience couldn’t take it anymore. He’d swiftly turned around and made his way back to the alley. The boy was sitting on the sleeping bag, pulling what looked like fast-food leftovers from a dumpster out of his backpack when he saw Patton. The face paled but the eyes darkened. He bared his teeth and hissed. Patton raised his hands in surrender and slowly approached. The boy snatched his backpack up and made to run when Patton cried out,  
“Wait! I just wanted to ask you a question!” The boy froze but didn’t lose the tension in his shoulders. Patton took this as an invitation to continue, “Do you want a place to sleep?”   
Thus, the process had begun. Virgil had spent the night and vanished in the morning. However, Patton had never been one to take things halfway and had decided to pursue the impossible mission of earning the teen’s trust. Many smiles, sleepovers, and chocolate chip cookies later, he’d been gifted with a name and then a friend. Virgil had been understandably hesitant of Patton but now he was drawn to the soft-hearted man. For as deeply as Virgil mistrusted people, those he did trust he connected to them with deep loyalty. Patton and Logan had earned this status in his life, no one else.   
“Kiddo,” Patton sighed, his fingers twisted in his bathrobe, “you can’t just hide Logan and expect it all to work out.” Silence, ever the unwelcome guest, oozed into the room and filled it to the brim. “As soon as they find out, you could be tried for kidnapping, thrown in jail, and Logan would be gone forever.” Patton tried to reason with the emotional duo.   
Logan blinked hard and pressed his lips together. Virgil had paled considerably and gone absolutely still. His mouth open and closed a few times before he got his tongue to cooperate.  
“I can’t be without him, Pat.” The tone was raw and desperate. Patton felt his heart go out to the brothers. They looked impossibly small and helpless sitting on his sofa. Logan hadn’t changed his expressionless gaze.   
“I am a robot. I am a robot. Robot’s do not feel. I am a robot. Therefore, I do not feel.” The mantra that was running through Logan’s head was, once again, not having the desired effect. His regular methods weren’t working, and it just added to the desperation of the situation.   
Patton stood and shuffled closer, snapping the two out of their spiraling thoughts. He settled himself next to Virgil and took them in. It was impossible not to feel empathetic and all kinds of bad. They had just been reunited and now he was here, ripping them apart. But…what choice did he have? A look of utter and complete sadness crossed his face and Virgil seemed to sense it.   
“Patton?” The big brown eyes turned on him, Virgil wasn’t one to beg but here he was. He reached forward and grabbed the man’s hand in his own. Tears were beginning to well up in his eyes. Patton forced himself to look down.   
“Virgil…” He took a deep breath. Logan tensed and paled considerably.   
“Patton, no. Please…you can’t…we just got back together! You can’t just do this! I-please!” Patton shook the teen off his arm. He stood and walked over to the window, he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He blinked hard, trying to keep his own emotions in check.   
Behind him, Virgil curled in on himself, audible sobs coming from his shaking form. The wiry figure looked like a black stain against the white sofa. Logan shuffled over to him and tried to tuck himself under his brother’s arm. He whined when he wasn’t granted immediate access. Virgil seemed to be triggered by the sound and pulled him close. Patton realized that Logan wasn’t crying. He was staring off into the distance with a resigned look of acceptance. It broke the soft man’s heart. With shaking fingers, he pulled out his phone and typed a few words into the search bar.   
Florida adoption process - About 43,300,000 results (0.59 seconds).


	10. What Holds You to Your Past?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil wants to stay with Logan, Logan wants to stay with Virgil, and Patton tries his best to provide for the boys everything they need.  
WARNINGS FOR PROTECTIVE VIRGIL, SLEEPY LOGAN, AND ATTEMPTED JUMPING OUT OF A MOVING CAR.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna wait and then I decided not to. So here's another chapter!!!! Yay! Also, all your comments were amazing! I loved each one and I hope you all enjoy reading a bit of domestic peace!

Patton slammed the door of his car closed with his foot. He hummed as he juggled several bags of groceries in his arms and made his way inside. The door was opened for him and he flashed a sunny smile at the shy boy. Virgil returned it with a small grin of his own and hid beneath his bangs. Logan looked up from the homework he was doing at the dining room table. Upon seeing the man struggling to maintain his balance, he jumped up and ran forward, snatching one of the bags from its precarious perch. Patton followed him into the kitchen and settled the groceries on the counter. Virgil joined in putting everything away and began chopping vegetables for dinner. Logan tugged on Patton’s sleeve and quietly pointed towards his homework. The boy had yet to fully trust Patton, but he was trying, and that was enough for Patton. There were days when Logan would avoid Patton like the plague and other days when he would be brave enough to ask him for something.  
“Would you please give me an outside opinion on this assignment? I am not certain I understand it.” Patton nodded eagerly and rested a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder as he looked over the assignment. Unsurprisingly, it was psychology.  
Psychology was, in Logan’s opinion, a fascinating subject. The difficulty was when he reached chapters on emotions, especially ones that had to do with his own. Given his past, Logan was understandably, for lack of a better phrase, ‘screwed up’. The idea of delving into his own emotions was a terrifying and near impossible feat. Luckily, Patton seemed to understand this and would patiently help Logan sort through the assignments, explaining concepts in simple and easy to understand terms.  
Virgil smiled at the scene and went back to cooking. Patton glanced at him every now and then, making sure that he was using items safely. He was surprised that Virgil had such a knack for the craft. He wasn’t much for baking, though, leaving Patton in charge of supplying the trio with cookies, cakes, biscuits, and more. Not that Patton minded, he was happy to supply and spoil his boys with sugary treats and was always dragging Logan into the kitchen to help him experiment with new ingredients and combinations. Most of these experiments often resulted in failure and/or a disastrous mess. However, they also were more likely than not to get a laugh out of the wide-eyed youngling, making any amount of mess worth it in Patton’s opinion.  
They were a perfect trio. The happiest family that ever graced the earth. Patton smiled at the boys before letting out a heavy sigh.  
If only it were true.  
The day dream ended abruptly as Patton heard the click of a seatbelt and slammed wildly on the breaks, swerving sharply to one side as he heard the car door being wrenched open. He turned in time to grab the edge of the oversized hoodie, preventing Virgil from jumping out of the moving vehicle,  
“VIRGIL!”  
\----  
Virgil growled as someone passed too close to Logan. The adult, who had been invested in his mobile device, started sharply and stared at the two figures. The darkly clad emo looked sleep deprived and was hiding terror behind a fierce light in his eyes. On his lap was a bundled-up hoodie that was acting as a cushion for the smaller boy. The stress of the night on top of being sick had left Logan exhausted. However, sleep proved to be an unrelenting foe and Virgil had eventually coaxed him to lay down. Moments later, he had drifted off.  
Deciding that the officer had been staring for too long, Virgil hissed angrily and held Logan a little closer. The smaller boy shifted and muttered something in his sleep. A frown creased his brow, and he squirmed a little harder, evidently displeased with how tightly he was being held captive. Virgil let his grip slacken but continued to glare at the man with cruel distrust. In an attempt to rectify the situation, he tried to offer a small smile only to receive another harsh hiss. The sound of a door snapping open caused the cold glare to fasten a different target. The man took the opportunity to retreat.  
The man and woman who entered looked like a couple out of a family magazine. The woman was tall with soft brown hair and her outfit was neat and simple. A necklace adorned her neck with beads that seemed two sizes too large. The man had a blue sweater pulled over his white collared shirt and wore tan slacks with brown shoes. His blond hair was brushed neatly aside, and the beginnings of a beard was evident on his cheeks. They both wore Hollywood smiles and Virgil intensified his stormy glare to counteract the cheery dispositions. The woman saw them and tripped over in her high heels. She thrust her hand in their faces.  
“You must be Virgil and Logan Storm. I’m Linda Strand, pleased to meet you.” She seemed unphased by the burning stare that Virgil was giving her. She sighed when her extended hand was not taken.  
Logan shifted in his sleep again, sensing a change in the atmosphere around him. Blinking, he tried to make sense of the fuzzy world that surrounded him. He rubbed his eyes sleepily and Virgil let him sit up and handed him his glasses. The big brother ran soft fingers through the fantastic bed head that Logan’s hair had managed to become. Logan hummed sleepily and slipped on his glasses. He started back sharply when he saw the strange woman in front of him. She reached out to steady him and Virgil growled at the hand. She froze and studied Virgil’s defensive stance. He was hunched in on himself with his head thrust forward. He was drawn up to appear larger and his teeth were displayed in a show of power. She turned as her husband approached.  
“Well, hello there, boys.” He smiled. Logan shrunk down and Virgil’s grip on him tightened. “We hear you gave the police quite a run for their money. Rumor has it, you almost jumped out of a moving car.” Virgil narrowed his eyes.  
It was true, unfortunately. Patton could confirm it. The kind landlord stood outside the room the boys were in and peered at them through the small rectangular window. He flinched as the man tried to touch Virgil’s shoulder. The teen’s eyes went wide and he tensed. He looked ready to either kick the man in the face or to throw himself and Logan over the back of the chairs. Knowing Virgil, either was highly likely. Before he could stop himself, Patton shoved the door open,  
“Wait!” All four jumped at the intrusion. Patton twisted the sleeves of the gray cardigan in his nervous fingers. He approached Virgil and Logan carefully.  
Virgil watched Patton approach them. He tried to remember that Patton had betrayed him. Was putting him here, in this situation. He should be mad at him. He was mad at him. He was furious! But…the soft eyes of the kindest man he knew were filled with sorrow and concern and a desire to help. Patton was familiar. He was safe. Virgil let Patton settle in the chair next to him and, before the landlord could do anything, Virgil let his head fall onto the other’s shoulder. The purple locks tickled Patton’s neck and he couldn’t help a small smile of pride that graced his lips. Virgil was still tense, but he had lost the glare for favor of hiding his face behind his bangs. Linda looked surprised and slightly annoyed,  
“Ummm, excuse me,” she tried to regain her composure and keep up her happy expression, “I’m not sure who you are, but, ummm, the boys are coming home with us so if you could…” Patton ignored her and tugged Virgil a little closer. He just wanted a few more seconds to pretend. Pretend that he was going to be the one to take the boys home, to keep them safe.  
Too bad dreams couldn’t come true.  
That was the thought that plagued Patton as he stood frozen on the concrete outside the building, watching the place where the car had disappeared. In the end, Logan and Virgil had gone along quietly. Seeing them both softly say goodbye and then disappear behind the tinted windows was the hardest thing that Patton had ever had to endure. He wanted to forget about it, to shove the horrific thought away but, like all painful memories, it refused to budge. It replayed on a loop in his mind’s eye, reminding him of what he had given up.  
“It’s for the best.” He whispered, attempting to comfort himself. His arms tugged at the sleeves of his cardigan and he hugged himself, seeking some consoling touch. He wondered absently if this is how Virgil had felt all alone and without any idea what the next day would bring him. Tears shocked him out of his reflection. He brought a hand up quickly to scrub the water away. It didn’t work. He sighed and let his gaze fall to the floor. He moved slowly back to his car and resigned himself to return to the light blue apartment building.  
It felt empty. The reception room was quiet, lights were out and there was a note from one of his guests about a noise complaint. He glanced over it without reading it. Sluggishly, he moved to make his way to his own room. The door was still unlocked from when he left. He pushed it open and stopped. The container of cookies was still on the table.  
Virgil’s favorite cookies.  
And with that single thought, Patton broke. Tears welled up in his eyes and his hands shook as he crumbled to the ground. He braced his hands on the soft carpet, tugging at it in his distress. There was no one to hear him. No one who would comfort him. No Virgil to offer his lopsided smirk, no Logan to look at him with careful curiosity, and no one to blame except for himself. In that moment, Patton felt very tiny, very insignificant, and very, very alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like, seriously guys, the adoption process here in FL is, at its shortest, six months long. And Patton hasn't even started! What else was he gonna do? 
> 
> See ya guys next week! ;P


	11. Who was the first?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Patton, Virgil, and Logan are sorting through the emotional baggage, there is another person who realizes he plays a bigger part in the story than anyone thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, peeps! I have been working through a lot of emotional stuff. My fiance is in BMT right now and I got word that he has been injured for a few weeks. This can potentially set his graduation date back so I may not see him for another two months. It's just hard to be in a situation where I can't be with him. Thank you for understanding!

The flashy red car that zipped around afternoon traffic was one that many celebrities recognized, and all hoped would stop in front of their doors whenever any award ceremony was around the corner. It was the possession of famed fashion-king Roman Prince. The man was a legend in the acting industry. He had held hundreds of roles on the screen and created works of mastery off screen. His costumes had left even the most experience actors speechless and he had often been contacted outside of filming by eager actors who wished to look their best on the red carpet.   
Right now, the man grunted as his driver took him around a corner at an alarming rate, causing his large build to slide against the leather seat and bump into the window. He scowled at the mark the jerk had made on his sketch pad in his hands. He supposed that was on him, however, he knew better than to try drawing at this time. He’d lost several amazing ideas to a similar fate, but he couldn’t help it! The idea was fresh in his mind and he just couldn’t let it slip away! He looked back down at the sketch.  
It was a beautifully intracity drawing. The outfit was suited for someone of royal standing. It had a simple black top with long elegant black slacks to match. The shoulders were cut out and the long sleeves were held on by silver bands around the arm. A long, purple cloak swept back, complimenting the spider-web like embroidery that decorated the front. The final touch was the deep purple leather belt which was clasped with a silver clasp. He wanted to put a coat of arms on it, but he was clueless as to what that coat of arms would look like. He sighed and tucked the pencil behind his ear. Cupping his chin in one hand, he turned a lazy gaze out the window and daydreamed the rest of the ride home.   
The large white house that the red car stopped in front of was a sight to behold. In one word, it was grand. The front rose up, proud and unapologetically bright white. The roof was rimmed with gold paint and the tall windows glinted in the evening sun. The two grand doors were fiercely red and there were brass knockers on both doors. Shiny gold handles waited patiently to be tugged on to reveal the stunning insides of the mansion.   
Roman indulged them and slipped inside with a sigh. He kicked his shoes off by the front door and climbed the tall staircase to the second floor. The hallways were lined with doors, each one wood and polished so brightly that he could see his reflection. He smiled at himself as he passed and ran slender fingers through his hair. His hands were narrow, but his shoulders were broad. He had a narrow waist and long thin legs. He had an elegant and graceful air about him. He finally reached his room and pushed the door open with another heavy sigh. He freed his feet from the restriction of his socks and let his toes wriggle in the thick fluffy circular rug that sat in the middle of his room. A large four-poster bed took up the center of the far wall, covered in silver bedding with gold beading dotted across it. A desk sat to the right of the bed, old fashioned in style but coated in red paint. The wall around the desk was covered in sketches, pictures, and scribbled notes. Pieces of fabric were pinned to the different drawings and certain words were underlined for emphasis. The whole room was lit by three tall windows that stood opposite to the door and looked out over the large backyard.   
Roman wandered over and stared out onto the grounds. The green grass was pleasantly interrupted by gardens and tall trees. A tree swing shifted as the wind gave it a playful nudge. Roses, poppies, tulips, lilies, and dragon snaps bobbed in the breeze, wishing a cheerful hello to all who passed. It looked like something out of a storybook and that was just how Roman had intended it to be. He smiled and unbuttoned the stiff white suite jacket he was wearing.   
Unceremoniously, he tossed it aside and then let his belt slip the ground. Soon, he was wandering over to his massive walk in closet with his shirt hanging open, the red material brushed softly behind him as he paced with determination. He paused only long enough to snatch a pair of fuzzy red socks before he made his way over to his bed. With a grunt of contentment, he flopped onto the silky material and let himself sink into the mattress. With some squirming and grumbling, he managed to slip the socks on with minimal movement. He dug his phone out next and began to scroll through his notifications. Sighing in boredom, he opened his news app to see if he had once more made the front page. When he discovered that he had not, a squeak of surprise escaped him.   
Instead of seeing the beautifully gorgeous and altogether stunning floor-length evening dress that had been his latest and greatest creation, he saw the faces of two boys staring back at him. They had obviously been caught off-guard when the picture was taken. One was dressed in dark emo attire and had a look of angry surprise on his face. His hand was raised in an attempt to block the lens of the camera while his other hand was pushing his companion behind him. The other boy was small, with narrow features but extremely large eyes. The brown orbs were enhanced by the thick glasses that adorned his face. He reminded Roman first and foremost of a baby bird and then of something much worse. He rose sharply and, never taking his eyes off his device, marched over to his desk.   
He began to rummage through the drawers impatiently. He tossed bits of paper and fabric out as he went. After the first and second drawer proved disappointments, he pulled the third drawer out and dumped the contents out on the floor. He dropped to his knees and began to root through the items before he pounced upon one. He sat back on his heels and held the small square up. The faces of two children peered at him from the photograph.  
The first was obviously him. With the stunning good looks and the signature smirk, it couldn’t have been anyone else! The other was a girl. She had long brown hair and was hanging off her brother. Her tongue was stuck out in a comical display and her eyes were crossed. Her extremely large brown eyes that looked too big for the rest of her narrow features. Roman looked between the photograph and the picture on the phone. There was no doubt about it, the boy was the splitting image of his little sister.


	12. Who was the Last?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story continues! It is perhaps the most disheartening to learn what you have once you have lost it. Patton is trying to return to life before the boys, the boys are trying to maintain some control over their lives, and Mrs. Strand just needs to stop reading so many parenting books.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am back and ready to give you all more angst! In repentance for the last heartbreak I gave out, I also offer you some fluffy boys being comforting towards each other.

Virgil hated how quickly he adapted. The routine of accepting the pity of others because the grownups told you that you didn’t have a choice. He shot a glance at Logan, making sure that he was alright. They were walking home from school. They had been placed with the Strand for the time being while lawyers and attorneys argued back and forth about their future. The world was never kind enough to pause while unfortunate sufferers tried to gain some footing. The world kept turning, high school still sucked, and he was sure that he was the hottest topic at his previous workplace.   
Logan hated how he couldn’t get Virgil to talk to him openly. He had to quicken his pace to keep up with Virgil’s long strides, his backpack jostling as he did so. Virgil seemed dead to the world. His hood was up, and earbuds plugged his ears. Logan knew better though. He could see the bright eyes partially hidden under the bangs. They darted back and forth quickly, assessing every person, sometimes dwelling on someone for a millisecond longer. Logan had learned to both trust and fear Virgil’s mind. He was always ready to jump to Logan’s rescue or protection, always on edge. At the same time, though, he was always on edge. He didn’t trust anyone, and his mind was constantly twisting the normal world into paranoid ‘what ifs’. Virgil was the first person to run to in danger and the last person to ask for optimism. Logan watched him wearily now as they slipped back into the gated community that the Strands occupied. He wondered how much longer he would be forced to wait until he got his Virgil back again.  
Patton hated how quiet it was. He ran the vacuum in the now empty apartment that had been Virgil and Logan’s. The furniture he would sell and give the money to the boys. The rest of the room he simply cleaned and got ready to show to other possible guests. At the same time, however, he didn’t want to give it away. The idea of that felt like he would be accepting that they were really gone. Not that it made too much of a difference. They were gone and the sooner he accepted that, the better. He bit his lip and blinked hard. He turned the vacuum on and ran it over the carpet for the fifth time. He really did hate the quiet.  
Roman hated the traffic. He placed his chin on his hands, staring out the windshield with a bored expression. The people around him crawled forward and he groaned as his phone began to ring wildly. It had been three days since he’d seen the picture of the boys in the paper. Logan and Virgil were their names. Since then his life had been chaos. He’d tried in vain to find and contact his sister, cancelled at least a dozen different appointments, and convinced his agent that he could drive himself somewhere for a change. That didn’t stop people from calling and pestering him, though. He cocked an eyebrow at the mobile device before resolutely turning it off and tossing it into the back seat. No distracted driving! He chuckled at the irony of the situation as he realized that he wasn’t actually driving anywhere. Man, he really hated traffic.   
Mr. and Mrs. Strand hated when the boys were moody. At least, that’s what Virgil had concluded. Mrs. Strand got a very forced smile whenever Virgil and Logan returned to the house and didn’t return her cheerful greetings. They were new to the foster system, that much was obvious. Logan was polite but closed off. Virgil watched Logan as he neatly hung his backpack on the wall and nodded to Mrs. Strand. Virgil let his own bag fall to the floor only to have Logan pick it up and shoot him a look. Virgil sighed apologetically and Logan huffed in forgiveness. Mrs. Strand cleared her throat and smiled. She hated how the boys seemed able to communicate without her knowing what was going on.  
“Virgil, that was very nice of Logan, what do you say?” The boys blinked. They looked at each other in surprise.   
They both knew exactly what Mrs. Strand wanted and they both reached the conclusion that giving into such a ridiculous request was the last thing they wanted. You didn’t have to say ‘thank you’ or ‘you’re welcome’ if you were the Storm boys. You looked out of one another and did without a second thought. If one was in the wrong, you owned up to it, if you were in the right, you fought for it. They didn’t owe each other anything because everything they did for one another was an act of protective love. The difficulty was trying to explain this to a grownup who had never been in their position. The idea that they would have to had never occurred to the boys. Now, here they were, with Mrs. Strand staring them down and growing impatient,  
“Virgil.” She said, jerking her head in Logan’s direction.  
“That’s quite alright, ma’am.” Logan said sincerely, “Virgil doesn’t -”  
“No,” the woman cut him off with a raised hand, “Virgil, what do you say to Logan?” Virgil’s face turned red with embarrassment and then pale with anger. Logan read his expression and his mind flew. In a flash he assessed the situation and formulated a plan.   
If Virgil was surprised when Logan suddenly charged down the hall and past Mrs. Strand, the woman was stunned. The small boy pushed past her roughly and didn’t look back. He mounted the stairs quickly, clutching the railing as his glasses bounced up and down on his nose. Mrs. Strand turned a confused face after Logan and then looked to Virgil and then back towards the stairs. She couldn’t seem to make up her mind as to whether she should chase after the boy or drill the teen about what was wrong. She seemed on the verge of making up her mind when Virgil moved past her too,  
“Logan?!” He disappeared up the stairs, leaving Linda Strand to stare on in silence.   
Virgil found Logan sitting quietly on his bed. The boy looked up expectantly as Virgil entered. He seemed to relax somewhat,  
“Oh good, I was afraid Mrs. Strand was coming up and not you.” Virgil smirked,  
“You don’t like her either?” Logan looked ashamed,  
“No, she’s not the type of person I would ever imagine would have interesting kids. Or kids at all for that matter.” He slid over so Virgil could settle next to him. The teen wrapped a comforting arm around him, and Logan took the invitation to nuzzle close to the dark warmth and solid body next to him.   
“How’re you feeling?” Virgil asked as he ran his fingers through Logan’s hair. Logan shrugged,  
“The pain medication I took earlier is starting to wear off.” Virgil tensed,  
“Pain medication? What?!” Logan did his best to hide a flinch,  
“I had a headache this morning. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” Virgil took a deep breath,  
“No, no, sorry for freaking out. I think I still have some stuff in my room from Patton. I’ll get you some.” It wasn’t a question, but Logan nodded. He sighed as Virgil drew away. He immediately missed the warmth of the other individual, but the teen was back in a matter of moments. He handed his brother a single pill and a half empty water bottle. Logan obediently swallowed the pill and chased it down with a few gulps of water. He let himself fall back against Virgil.  
“Tomorrow’s another day.” He stated with a feeling of dread. Virgil huffed,  
“Redundant but you’re not wrong.” Logan groaned and sunk deeper into the comfort of his brother’s grasp. Virgil looked over him worriedly,   
“You okay?” Logan shrugged noncommittedly before staring thoughtfully off into the distance.   
Virgil watched the brown eyes trace imaginary lines through the air, darting around. His face grew relaxed as he let thoughts drift in and out of his active mind. Virgil could tell when a particularly interesting thought captured his attention. His eyes lit up and he got very still. Virgil playfully poked the younger boy’s side,  
“What’s going on in that brain of yours?” Logan blinked a few times before he smiled sheepishly.   
“I was thinking about the time we planned to sneak out and buy some hair dye to change your hair.” Virgil smiled at the memory,  
“Oh yeah,” he laughed softly, “we were so excited and then we both fell asleep. You were so bummed about it the next day. It was almost funny.” Logan huffed and shoved Virgil away, only to have the older and bigger boy tackle him and pin him under his larger form. Logan grunted and shifted, wriggling around. He finally let himself go limp and resigned himself to his fate. Virgil got comfortable and let his eyes close.   
It was peaceful. A small pocket of quiet carefree fun in the midst of unknown realities and the feeling of impending doom that haunted them. Virgil felt sleep tugging at him when Logan spoke up again,  
“We should really do our homework.” Virgil turned his head so as to see Logan better,   
“Don’t act like you haven’t done it already.” Logan sighed,  
“Yes, I have. Have you, though?” Virgil smirked.  
“Yep.” He popped the ‘P’ happily, “We had a sub for my last class and while the rest of the class watched a movie, I did homework.”   
Virgil was fairly behind the rest of his age group. Neglecting one’s education to work full time to support a plan to take care of your little brother, turns out, does have consequences. Despite this, Virgil was catching up fast and he had one on one meetings with teachers to help him progress. Virgil had always been a good student, when given the opportunity. He had trouble staying motivated, though. His passions drove him to pursue English, writing, art, and subjects that allowed him to express himself and his thoughts behind the safety of a piece of paper or some other material. Math and science, on the other hand, drove him to resentment. He understood that the material was somewhat important but that didn’t change the fact that he had no desire to invest himself in those areas. Logan’s finger dug into Virgil’s cheek.  
“Are you listening to me?” The brown eyes flashed an amused light from behind the glasses. Virgil blinked a few times,  
“Uuuuuuhhhhh…I agree completely with whatever it is you just said?” The emo offered a toothy grin. Logan raised an eyebrow,  
“I asked you a question, Verge.” Virgil’s grin grew slightly wider,  
“Ah.” Logan rolled his eyes and shook his head.  
“Okay, first, get off me you weigh a ton!” He shoved at Virgil’s shoulders to emphasize his point. Virgil let himself relax completely for a moment before rolling off the smaller form. Logan grumbled and straightened himself out somewhat. “Secondly, I asked if you were still interested in dying your hair.” Virgil blinked.  
The dream of having a mop of unnaturally colored hair was one that Virgil had promised himself that he would someday do. However, it was hardly something that he had given much thought to in the past few years. He had been busy pursuing other plans and fantasies. Now, though, he could see some of the old Logan eagerly anticipating his answer. A request for adventure, to be Lolo and Verge once more with no thoughts towards parents, responsibilities, or eyes watching their every move. Virgil smirked and Logan’s whole face lit up. He jumped up and shot a glance at the clock; he estimated they had two hours before dinner would be ready. Plenty of time for them to sneak away, purchase the necessary supplies, and return before either of the Strands would come looking for them. Virgil seemed to read his thoughts because he dragged himself to his feet and disappeared into the room he was staying in. He returned with a wallet and a box of snake cakes,  
“Ready?” He asked as he slid the window open. Logan nodded eagerly and, together, they climbed out into the dying light.  
Patton woke to the sound of his phone going off. Blearily, he waved his hand around, searching for the device. He squinted but, without his glasses, it was impossible for him to see the number. Stifling a yawn, he accepted the call.   
“Hello?” He muttered sleepily,  
“WHERE ARE THEY YOU…” The rest of the sentence was lost as Patton threw his phone across the room. He blinked in surprise before scrambling to turn on a light and find his device. He clambered about for a few seconds before he finally located it. Luckily, it wasn’t broken. He carefully brought it to his ear once more.  
“Hello?!” The voice on the other end was a man’s voice and it was, thankfully, much quieter than the original speaker.  
“Y-yes?” Patton breath shakily, trying to wrap his sleepy mind around what the heck was going on.  
“Is this Patton Sanders?!”   
“It is…who is this?” Patton shifted uncomfortably. Who could be calling him at, he glanced at his clock, 11:42 PM?   
“My name is David Strand, we met when you brought Logan and Virgil Storm to the police.” Patton’s heart sunk,  
“What happened?” He demanded. His voice sounded small and strange and far away. There was a beat of silence on the other end.  
“We were hoping you could answer that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My sister told me that I need to stop ending chapters on cliff hangers...I refused.


	13. Who Is It that Holds You close?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton is dad, the Strands are just tired of showing up to the police station, and Virgil and Logan have some explaining to do. WARNING! DESCRIPTIVE PANIC ATTACK!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a crappy day yesterday so I decided to fill a chapter with angst and fluffiness and cuddling.

Patton didn’t bother to change out of his pajamas when the call came in from the police. He jumped into his car and tried to abide by the traffic laws while not having a major nervous breakdown. He got to the station and scrambled to get inside. The Strands were no where to be seen but Patton was sure they weren’t far behind him. His wild eyes searched the room until he was seen by a sympathetic officer,  
“Can I help you, sir?” He asked gently. Patton tried to contain himself,  
“Virgil and Logan Storm?” He asked, his eyes searching the man’s face desperately.   
Understanding dawned on the man’s face and he led Patton to a small waiting area. Low and behold, two forms were bundled up together, whispering quietly and trying to remain as invisible as possible. Patton broke into a run, stopping only when he had pulled a very surprised Virgil into a hug,  
“You two!” He snapped, worry dissolving into anger and agitation, “Do you know how much worry you’ve caused?! How scared I was that something happened to you?! What happened? Where were you!?” He dropped his grip on Virgil to stand with his hands on his hips, staring down the boys.  
Logan wasn’t sure he had ever felt terror quite like this. It wasn’t the fear that hit him when he had nightmares or some flashback to the past. It was a fear of how deeply the man before him seemed to care for the two of them. Still, he found he couldn’t speak. His tongue felt heavy and dry and he dropped his gaze, trying to place himself behind the safety of his big brother. Virgil was also staring at his feet. He mumbled something. Patton’s expression didn’t change as he leaned forward,  
“What was that, Virgil Storm?” Virgil winced before slowly reaching up and pushing back his hood, revealing a spectacularly purple mop of hair. He still didn’t look up,  
“We left to get hair dye and got lost.” Patton blinked once. Then twice. His mouth opened and closed a few times and the officer who had escorted him hid a smile behind his large hand. Patton sat down on the ground hard.  
“You left to get…” Suddenly, he was laughing and crying at the same time. The whole situation was ridiculous. Virgil made a noise of alarm before he crawled over to the man and tried to make sure that Patton wasn’t dying or anything. Logan joined him moments later.  
That’s how the Strands found them. Patton was clinging tightly to the two boys, half sobbing, half laughing and babbling incoherently. Virgil looked all sorts of alarmed and Logan looked like he wanted someone to save him from the overly emotional man’s grasp. Linda Strand didn’t know how to proceed, neither did her husband. They stood awkwardly to the side, waiting for the other to make the first move. After a few moments of awkward silence, Linda finally moved forward. Her smile was fixated on face a little too cheerfully and she spoke through gritted teeth.  
“Virgil, Logan,” she began, completely unheard due to Patton’s hysteric sobbing. She tried again, louder, “Boys! We really should be getting home. How about you thank the nice officer…”  
She was cut off by the sound of camera shutters and a crowd of people all talking at once. Police officers from all over the station rushed forward to investigate. The door swung open in a grand gesture and a man stepped into the room.   
The first impression that Logan got of Roman was that he was flushed. His cheeks were glowing pink and his eyes were bright. They looked a little like Virgil’s eyes when he was passionate about something. The second thing he noticed were the clothes he was wearing. They seemed to be entirely too much for Florida’s climate. He had a well fitted red dress shirt and was wearing an impressive pair of white slacks. His shoes were a deep purple and he wore a long coat with fur trimmings along the ends of the sleeves. His hair was hidden under a fedora that was the same color as the shoes. He stopped when he saw the boys, or, more specifically, when he and Logan locked eyes.   
“Zeus’s beard…” He muttered as he stepped quickly and knelt before the small boy, not heading Patton in the slightest. “You’re her splitting image.” Virgil wrapped a protective arm around the small boy and hissed at Roman. The fashionista looked at the other boy and blinked a few times, “You look a lot like her too…” He whispered.   
Virgil tensed and stared back. Patton finally managed to get his crying under control. He sniffed and wiped his eyes. He examined the newcomer before tugging the boys closer to himself. He just got them back and he had no intention of letting them go.  
Virgil, meanwhile, was trying to solve this odd puzzle. There was something about this man that seemed familiar. It was like he had seen him somewhere before. Or something very much like him. The man smiled and Virgil’s eyes widened. That was the same smile his mother had worn. Her eyes would scrunch up the same way and her cheeks would dimple like his. The eyes were the same too.   
“Who are you?” Virgil asked, his eyes continuing to travel up and down the man’s face, picking out familiar similarities.   
“My name is Roman Prince,” He replied as he rose up, towering over them, “I’ve come to take you home.”   
The silence that hit the room was stunning and lasted approximately three seconds before it erupted into intense chaos. Here was this man who had just waltzed into the police station and claimed that he was going to take the boys who had been on the run from the police (one for years). Everyone was understandably confused, and hubbub was the natural response. Linda and her husband were talking over each other and Patton cried out as he was jostled sharply to one side. Virgil shrunk away from the officers that were rushing to push Roman’s loyal followers out and to try to calm the chaos. Someone grabbed Logan in the midst of everything and panic seized him. He twisted and jerked in the person’s grasp, terror blinding him. He was trapped, he needed to break free, he needed out, he couldn’t go back, he couldn’t go back alone, where was Virgil? WHY WAS HE ALONE?!   
He screamed.   
The whole room froze. Logan broke free and stumbled before collapsing. He felt his chest pounding and his fingers felt numb.   
No! Nonononononononononononononono  
His breath came short and fast and, to his horror, tears began to streak down his face. He gripped the sides of his head, trying to ground himself on something. Suddenly, fingers were wrapping around his wrists and he was pulled close into something soft, solid, and warm. There was breath near his ear and light was blocked out.   
“Eight, twenty-two, seven, zero, five…” the voice was Virgil’s and the routine was familiar. Virgil wanted him to repeat the numbers in the same order he stated them. He tried to speak but all that came out was a strangled sob. Virgil hushed him gently, “Eight, twenty-two, seven, zero, five. Come on, Lolo.” Logan took another four or five gasping breaths before he choked out a response,  
“E-e-eight-t-t, twe-e-e-nt-ty-two, s-s-s-sev-ven, z-zero, fi-i-ive.” Logan hated how his tongue felt heavy and basic speaking functions failed him. Virgil gave him a squeeze, though, a sure communication that he was proud of his little brother.   
“Five, nine, thirty-one, fifteen…” The process continued and all the adults watched in silent awe as Logan was pulled out of panic and back to reality.   
Patton snapped out of this phase first and moved to shield the huddled forms from the prying eyes. Linda huffed in annoyance and tried to push past him to get to the boys. Patton tried to hold her back and the two were temporarily locked in a stand-off before there was a gentle tugging on the grey cardigan. Patton looked down into Virgil’s bright eyes. Silent messages were passed between the two and Linda couldn’t help but feel completely left out of the interaction. She dropped her attempts but remained unnoticed. Patton crouched down next to the boys and slowly untied his cardigan from around his neck. Keeping his movements slow and unthreatening, he slowly settled the soft material over Logan’s shoulders. The boy’s breath hitched, and he fisted his hands in Virgil’s hoodie. His fingers were still trembling but at least he could feel them again.   
Behind the three, Roman watched in guilty silence. He couldn’t help but feel responsible for the youngling’s current state. After all, he was the cause of all the drama! (Which was something he usually prided himself on.) Police officers slowly moved away from the doors. They had finally succeeded in dismissing many of the photographers and crazy reporters that had followed the fashionista all the way to their doorstep. They shot weary and annoyed looks at the overly dressed Prince as they filed by. One kind soul brought over a glass of water, stopping to sweep a critical eye over Roman before bestowing his gift to Patton. Watching the three, Roman decided something in that moment that he knew he would never be swayed from.   
Logan was still hiding his face in Virgil’s hoodie. The older boy was running his fingers through Logan’s soft hair while leaning against Patton’s solid form. The fatherly man was humming softly and rocking back and forth, keeping his arm wrapped securely around Virgil’s shoulders. It made a very misplaced scene on the shiny white vinyl floor under the glaring florescent lights. A final attempt on the part of the Storm boys and Patton to hold onto peace, familiarity, and each other. Patton was their anchor. The one person they had learned to trust and who had learned to love them without pity. At least, he had learned to love Virgil like that and Logan...well, there wasn’t a way that Patton couldn’t have melted at the sight of the small boy! He was delicate but strong. His wide eyes held subdued curiosity that had been quelled by the cruelty of neglect and denial. From the first moment that Patton had laid his eyes on the child, he had wanted nothing more than to hold him close and keep him safe.   
Now, he was losing him. Losing them. Again. And he had no one to blame but himself for it. Patton sighed and blinked a few times, tugging Virgil a little closer. It was the right thing to do, but that didn’t make it easy. His throat squeezed as he tossed a suspicious glance towards Roman. The man stood out in his flashy attire. Who was he anyway?! Coming in here and trying to claim his boys! Patton mentally reprimanded himself; his boys? The boys. They weren’t his boys! Such thoughts should be banished. And yet, he looked over the curled-up forms and his heart ached for them. Deep in his mind, he wished he hadn’t brought them here. He wanted to go back and undo what he had done. But that was pointless thinking. Instead, a new thought entered his mind. A thought that he was shocked by. It was the desperate hope that Roman was truly who he said he was. If he was their relation, he could offer a home, stability, consistency, and an end to the constant fear of separation. He trained his eyes on Roman who started when he found the small man glaring at him. Patton’s face was stained with tear tracks and his nose was bright red from crying. It only served to make him all the more threatening,  
“You better be who you say you are, Mr. Prince. Or I’m going to physically fight you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Logan's panic attack is based off what mine are like...it's been a hard week, guys...  
Maybe I just need to write happier stuff....


	14. Whom Holds Comfort's Voice?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton gets some insight into Virgil and Logan's life while still getting no insight whatsoever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My chapters keep getting longer. Not that I'm complaining. I never imagined that I would be okay with writing a chapter that is over 2000 words long but here we are!  
Also, I'm sorry for updating so late! I am going to be gone this weekend so I will be posting another chapter right after this to keep you guys entertained.

“You want me to what?” The squeak that was Patton’s voice caused Mrs. Strand to choke on her drink. Her husband patted her back gently as she worked through a fit of coughing. Patton spluttered apologies as best he could around the minor chaos.   
“Help watch the boys.” Mr. Strand repeated the request for his wife. “They seem to trust you and it would be a great help to us if you could help us make sure they don’t go disappearing again.” Patton blinked a few times.   
He was seated in the Strand’s main living area. The walls were a lovely shade of green and the hardwood floors were polished to perfection. The décor was tastefully put and the whole room had a complete look to it. Still, Patton felt like he was in a museum, like he would be scolded if he breathed too loudly or touched the wrong thing. The only thing that offset the mood was the black hoodie that was thrown carelessly over the back of one of the chairs. Virgil must’ve left it there before he went to school. The boys were due to be home any minute from school, Patton thought suddenly as he glanced towards the clock. They were probably famous over there. The events of the past few days would’ve ensured that.   
The appearance of Roman Prince was one that no one had been expecting, including Roman Prince himself. He had brought his possible relation up in the most unprofessional manner that Patton had ever heard of and had begged to be allowed custody over the boys. A DNA test was immediately submitted but they had yet to hear any results. Patton was torn over the whole ordeal, honestly. Parts of him hoped that this was finally the stability the boys had been looking for while, at the same moment, he wished he had more time to put towards learning about the adoption process. If Roman really was the next of kin, he had a right to take the boys as his own. Heaven knew he had the means of raising them…at least financially. Roman reminded Patton of a child in his own way. He was bright and flashy and energetic, always seeking to be the center of attention. His clothes also made Patton think of a boy who was just learning to dress himself. He smiled a little at this thought when he realized that he had yet to answer the couple before him.  
“Of course I’d love to help!” He cheered happily, “You have no idea how much I’ve missed them! Its been way too quiet around the place since they left! It would be so amazing to get to help you! Thank you so much!” The Strands looked slightly taken back by the outburst.   
The boys were being placed with them while the lawyers and attorneys argued about where the boys should go and what the law said about their situation. (All of which, it should be noted, that the author has zero knowledge about so please don’t take anything as fact.) If the boys were placed with Roman, the Strands would move onto the next foster child, just as they planned, and Patton would go back to his daily routine, but at least he would’ve said a proper goodbye. The landlord shook his head to clear out that nasty thought as the door creaked open.   
Virgil poked his head around the door, looking guarded but hopeful. He scanned the hallway carefully, fastening his eyes on the group clustered on the simple furniture in the living room. He gasped audibly and shoved the door open all the way. Patton placed his drink down and stood, peering anxiously at the boy. Virgil dropped his bag and hurried towards Patton, crashing into him in his haste to get a hug. Patton grunted, griping Virgil back tightly for balance. Virgil breathed in the smell of Patton and sighed.  
Familiarity. Blessed familiarity. Virgil didn’t get this often and he relished it when he did. Logan stood stock still in the doorway and watched the scene before him. He had a balled-up tissue against his nose and was wearing Virgil’s hoodie which was falling off of one slim shoulder. All in all, he looked adorably out of place. Patton caught sight of him and felt worry pull at his heart.  
“Hey, Logan, you okay?” Virgil pulled away and glanced towards his younger brother. He walked slowly over and stooped to look into the boy’s eyes.  
“Did it start again?” He asked, mild concern laced his voice. Logan gave a small firm nod and Virgil sighed, pulling several more tissues out of his pocket. He handed them to Logan. Patton made a noise of concern, causing Virgil to turn towards him, “Just a nosebleed, Pat.” He assured the man, “He get’s them every now and then.”  
Virgil left out the part about Logan getting them after panic attacks. The smaller boy had been having considerable trouble being away from Virgil since the episode at the police station. Virgil had been called out of several classes to address this issue. He thought back to himself running down hallways to the nurse’s office and seeing Logan in distress. The wide brown eyes searching for him, the silent tears, the hands that reached for him immediately, and the quiet pleading from Logan, begging Virgil not to leave him again. Virgil shuddered at the memory and slid his fingers into Logan’s hair briefly. He looked at Patton and offered a shy smile. Patton’s eyes were sharp, though, and he knew there was something deeper. Something that Virgil wasn’t telling him, probably about Logan.  
“How was school?” Mrs. Strand’s voice carried to them. She had a slightly annoyed look on her face. She’d been trying to connect with the boys for days and hadn’t received a smile, let alone a hug! She refused to admit she was jealous of the man before her, but her attitude stated otherwise. Virgil shrugged in response to the question,  
“It was school.” He didn’t offer her any more information. His eyes stayed on the polished floor and he fiddled with his hoodie sleeves. Logan didn’t supply anything, just hid slightly behind Virgil from the eyes that were trained on him. He hated attention.   
Now, however, Mr. Strand stood and stretched slightly. He wandered over to Virgil who immediately drew himself up to his tallest. He looked guarded once more and his arm came up to subtlety place a barrier between the approaching man and his little brother. Logan wrapped the arm that wasn’t holding the tissues around his brother’s. He didn’t look like he had any intention of letting go, either. Mrs. Stand, oblivious to what he was causing, stopped next to Patton.  
“Virgil,” he said, “I want you to give Patton here your number so he can help Linda and I keep an eye on you.” Virgil stared at the man and then looked questioningly at Patton,  
“You deleted my number?” He asked, sounding hurt. Patton’s eyes widened,  
“What?! No!” He looked towards Mr. Strand, “I have Virgil’s number, I’ve had it for years, actually.” The other man looked baffled,   
“Then why didn’t you call him when he was missing?” Patton’s face went red.  
“I did! I called him a million times! His phone died, remember?!” Logan watched in slight amusement.  
The man was like an angry sparrow. He was puffed up and flustered, chirping at the accusation that was applied to him. He had to hand this much to Patton: it was impossible not to like him. Despite what the man had done to him and Virgil, Logan had grown to see the man as ‘not a threat’. Virgil trusted him completely and Logan was content to be where Virgil was. Right now, however, the variable of the unknown was looming over them like an ominous cloud. This Prince fellow, or ‘Princey’ as Virgil called him, was a development in their story that he had not anticipated. He was loud and flashy and scary. Logan shuddered at the thought of him. He tried to compare Patton to him. They would appear similar on the outside, but Logan could see that Patton was softer, gentler, and warmer. He was empathetic and seemed to know that he and Virgil were human, not wild creatures in need of taming. Tension between the Stroms and the Strands had risen significantly since the event at the police station. Virgil was required to keep his phone tracking system on at all times and to text frequent updates so they knew he had his phone. The school had been informed of the incident as well, making Virgil and Logan the center of attention. Hence, Logan’s panic attack earlier.   
Patton seemed to gain some control over himself as Mr. Strand raised his hands and eyebrows in a gesture that Virgil could only describe as “okay, okay, no need to act up about it, I was just askin’, jeesh”. Logan would probably have a single word. He should ask him later. For now, though, he wanted to take the opportunity to bring something up. He couldn’t ask directly, though, no…that would be rude. And it would be asking for something for himself. He couldn’t do that. That would be selfish! What would Patton think of him then?! No…he had to be…subtle…  
Cautiously, he peered at the three adults that were now chatting about some picture on the wall. He prepared to speak.  
Nope. No, he couldn’t do this. Maybe it would be better just to let it go. Yeah. Right? That was for the best. Wasn’t it? Yeah…probably…but then again…  
Virgil bit his lip and became aware of Logan’s eyes trained on him from above the white and red tissue. There were no words needed. Logan had a look of careful concentration and deep insight. He was reading Virgil like an open book. Logan shot a look at Patton and sniffed. This immediately led to him coughing hard which, in turn, led to his nose bleeding more. Virgil dropped down next to him, tugging more tissues out of his pocket.   
Patton observed as the Strands shot a look towards the boys but didn’t pause in their conversation. They had tried to assist the boys in the past but hadn’t been allowed to get close to them. Even now, Virgil shot a careful glance in their direction, assessing how likely they were to try to help. It made Patton sad to see that both parties had broken any hopes of trusting each other. Virgil and Logan needed to be taught to trust and this was a lesson that, unfortunately, took time. The Strands, on the other hand, seemed to have given up after being denied so many times. On top of this, they hadn’t dedicated themselves to trying to understand or meet the boys on their level. Patton abruptly left the conversation and moved over to the two figures.  
“Lean forward a little, Logan.” He instructed as he snatched a wastepaper can and brought it over. Logan obeyed and shot him a grateful look. He dropped his used tissue into the trash and replaced it. He sighed in annoyance and promptly sat down on the floor. Virgil blinked and Patton saw a flash of concern dance across his features.   
In truth, Virgil was confused and worried. This was Logan. Logan never sat on the floor. Especially when there were other things that were meant to be sat on in the room. Conclusion? Logan was probably exhausted from the high panic he had been on all day. Virgil settled next to him, letting the boy lean against him slightly. Patton squatted down and peered at their faces.   
“Hey, Verge?” He grunted as he too settled on the cold floor. He squirmed a little to get comfortable while Virgil responded with a hum. “We missed our Saturday dinner, so I was wondering if you boys wanted to go out tomorrow with me?” Virgil glanced at the Strands. “I talked to Mr. and Mrs. Strand and they say that you can come as long as you get your homework done.” He smiled.  
Logan held his breath. He hated eating out. He hated eating in front of anyone, really. Anyone that wasn’t Virgil, that is. He hated the bright lights, the booth, the feeling of being trapped in a room where everyone can see you and watch you consume subpar food. Virgil hated feeling trapped too. That was why he had always agreed to eating in Patton’s apartment per their agreement. Ultimately though, Logan knew that he would go wherever Virgil went and Virgil may or may not say no. He could see his big brother trying to read the bubbly man; trying to determine what the “right” answer would be. Patton, however, seemed well versed in this and kept his expression one of sunny gentle anticipation. Virgil finally ducked his head, a sure sign that he was preparing to ask something that made him uncomfortable.   
“Could we…maybe…ummm…” He paused and Logan sneezed. The attention was temporarily placed on him while they made sure he was okay. His nosebleed had settled somewhat. Patton softly asked Virgil if it would be okay for him to text him the answer. It made him a little sad to see how much Virgil relaxed with this suggestion. The boy trusted him somewhat but that didn’t get rid of the mentality that Virgil had carefully perfected over the years. It was like a tangle of knots and he was still searching for the end that would unravel it all. He had a feeling that Virgil was looking for the end as well, trying to pull himself out of the web that strangled him.   
Not wanting to overstay his welcome, Patton bid the Strands and the boys a good night. He couldn’t help but hug Virgil a second time when he saw the teen trying to cover up his disappointment that Patton would be leaving soon. He stepped out into the night and heaved a sigh. Moments later, his text tone sounded and he smiled at the name that lit up the screen: “Dark Strange Son”.


	15. Baby Bird, One So Small

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens as Steve joins unexpectedly! (Seriously, not even I saw Steve coming here....)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I write a 4000+ word chapter? Yep. Do I like it? Yep. Does it have cute Logan? Heck yeah.

Mr. D. wasn’t a person who liked to be told what to do. That’s why he became an agent in the first place, to tell other people what to do. He slid his sleek brown hair back and carefully placed his black bowler hat back on his head. He took himself in one last time, examining his reflection in the fulllength mirror that hung in his simple bedroom. He was tall and thin with long fingers and a sharp chin. He had a habit of drawing himself up for the pleasure of staring down his nose at others. His face was ghastly pale thanks to the abundant amount of makeup that he used to cover up the marks that coated left side of his face. No one knew the origins of those marks, some doubted that even Mr. D knew where they had come from. He adjusted the cuff of his sleeve and gave his watch one last good polish. He sighed in satisfaction and swept out of the room. The click of his key in his front door was followed with the patter of his quick decent down the steps of his front porch. As if on que, a sleek black car pulled up and the front window rolled down.   
The face that peered out at him was rather startling. Sunken eyes glinted out at him and a bushy fake mustache hid the top lip. The white teeth gritted together in a sort of smile that might as well have been a grimace. The uniform he wore was black with silver buttons and green scraps patched all over it. It was rumpled and wrinkled and the matching hat was cocked off to one side on a style of hair that could only be called a rat’s nest.   
“Remus…” Mr. D said as he bent over, clasping his gloved hands behind him, “you are three minutes late.” The tiny man smiled wider,  
“You want to know why, Mr. D?” The man shuddered,  
“No.” In two long steps the wiry figure made his way to the back door and slid inside. He was hit immediately with the stench of day-old takeout. He didn’t have to look through the divide to know that the front of the vehicle was a monstrosity. He closed his eyes in an attempt to find patience but instead found his mind filled with images of half-filled Chinese cartons, nearly empty bottles of milk that should’ve been thrown out long ago, and paper bags so greasy they were falling apart. His eyes shot open and he rolled the window down slightly, even the smell of exhaust was better than this.   
“Remus,” he began, pressing a yellow handkerchief to his nose, “you’ll get the car cleaned before you pick up Roman for our appointment.” A high-pitched giggle was the only response that Mr. D received. He let it ring for a few moments, staring ahead with a bored expression. The giggle was frequently interrupted but snorts and grunts. Mr. D slid unenthusiastically across the leather seat as Remus took an exceptionally sharp turn. It wasn’t until Remus brought the car to a sudden halt at their destination that the laughter stopped.   
Remus pranced around the car and opened the wrong door. Mr. D sighed and let himself out. He turned to see the man grinning at him from over the roof of the vehicle.   
“Remember,” He raised a gloved finger and pointed at the man, “clean the car and then get Roman.” Remus seemed to find this immensely amusing as he dissolved into a fit of giggles. Mr. D raised an eyebrow and turned to leave. “And get out of the road, for goodness’ sake.” He paused at the door and risked a glance back.  
Remus had climbed up onto the hood of the car and had somehow already gotten the ten buttons on his shirt undone. He was currently applying generous amounts of mayonnaise to his chest. Mr. D closed his eyes and slowly turned away. Hopefully there wouldn’t be any accidents this morning. He wandered in and nodded to his secretary who was already getting up to make her way over to the window with the intent of seeing what Remus was doing.   
He retreated to the safety of his office where he clicked on his computer. He hung his hat and coat on the stand next to the window and returned to the electronic device. He was greeted by a long list of unread emails. He froze, his hands resting on the top of his dark wooden desk. In another moment, he had stood and snatched up his hat, leaving his coat in his haste and marched out of his office. He slammed the door behind him, startling his poor secretary who wield from her place at the window.  
“Dot!” He snarled, “I don’t pay you to gawk at the drivers, I pay you to work!” He pointed a condescending finger at her empty chair as he passed and made an exit. The front door shuddered at the force. Remus saw him coming and smiled gleefully. He slid off the hood of the car, dripping mayo onto the sidewalk as he climbed back into the driver’s seat.   
“Where to?” He snickered. Mr. D glared at him and carefully pulled out his phone. He grumbled to himself as he stabbed the apps. Finally, he brought the ringing device up to his ear and taped his fingers impatiently. He hissed as it went to voice mail.   
“Idiot.” He growled at the phone, “Stupid. Headless. Brainless. Dimwitted…” Remus watch in amusement through the rear-view mirror. He started the car and began revving it loudly. Mr. D shot him a heated glare that only prompted the man to do it more.   
Remus was Roman’s younger brother of a few minutes although few knew it. The two had been held together by a mutual dislike for their little sister as she grew older. Once she had vanished, the two found they had no common ground to stand on. This led to them disregarding each other completely and to dive with equal vigor into their passions. They both craved attention and sought for it in different ways. Having a twin meant the focus was on both of you and many twins made this their main identity. Not these two, however. They saw the other as constantly robbing each other’s light. The spotlight for them held room only for one and neither was willing to give up the struggle.   
Mr. D had acquired Remus through Roman, actually. He could recall the instance with easy clarity. Of course, it was difficult to unsee a man, dressed in nothing but a barrel, hurling taxidermized squirrels into the large fountain in front of Roman’s house. It was even harder to unsee the look on Roman’s face when he saw the rat-like man. Upon being caught in the act, Remus had broken out into an Irish jig and Roman had screamed at him in an increasingly higher voice until his words were indecipherable. Mr. D had watched it all in quiet indifference until he had sighed, adjusted one glove and approached Remus with a smile that spread like grease across his face. He had drawn a card out of his inside pocket with his contact information and sweetly told him to come in for an interview the next day. Roman had stopped screaming with the shock and stood there waving his hands and letting his mouth open in close in a comical manner. Low and behold, Remus had shown up the next day and proven himself to be the cleverest driver that Mr. D had ever witnessed. True his trips were violent and full of sharp twists and turns, but they were extremely time efficient. It was a small sacrifice that Mr. D was willing to pay.   
His phone buzzed several times, a sure sign that his client was texting him.  
*Sorry, I was in a meeting*  
*Going into another meeting so can’t call you back*  
*Will call back soon but texting might be better*  
Mr. D rolled his eyes. Roman never could text him just one text, it was always one after the other. Still, he didn’t intend to let the matter go just yet. The back seat fell silent save for the sound of apps being opened and closed and an unexpected pop up ad for skin care. Mr. D finally smiled. His abnormally sharp teeth showed and his whole face was illuminated with the glow of his phone’s screen.   
“Remus!” He barked, “Type this address into the GPS, we’re going to get your brother.”  
The car revved a few more times before shooting away, nearly hitting several people in its haste. Mr. D was tossed back and forth, something he did with remarkable grace. Remus bobbed up and down on the seat laughing and shouting at the other drivers. Once or twice, Mr. D reached up to hold his hat in place and press his handkerchief to his nose. The landscape whirred by without a care and it slowly began to change from familiar to strange and new. It was different from the big city where Mr. D had grown up. There were tinier buildings and the traffic thinned considerably. He found the whole place extremely unbecoming. He huffed as they passed by a small park, some people looking up to watch the car go bumbling by. A boy with large eyes and even larger glasses looked at it with a hint of horror on his pale slim face. Mr. D was struck with the odd thought that the boy looked somewhat like a baby bird. He hardly had time to dwell on the child though as Remus drove up onto the sidewalk when he turned too early.   
“They’re gonna get somebody hurt.” Patton mumbled from his spot on the soft pink picnic blanket.   
Logan was standing a few yards off, watching the vehicle drive up over the sidewalk, narrowly missing a bicycle. The boy had his head cocked to one side, still holding the caterpillar on his index finger. Logan looked back down at the creature before slowly beginning to walk back to the blanket. Patton swiveled his head to look for his other boy. THE. THE OTHER BOY. Goodness sake, Patton, stop calling them yours! He cleared his throat uncomfortably as his brown eyes darted around. Ah, there he was. Virgil was perched in a tree, sitting in a pose like Spider-man might. His hands were placed between his feet and his knees were level with his shoulders. He was staring out at something far away that Patton couldn’t see from his place on the ground. Logan came up and shyly settled next to Patton, thrusting his hand forward slightly. Patton smiled,  
“Aw! A baby butterfly!” He cooed as he bent forward to examine the wriggling creature. Logan smiled slightly,  
“A caterpillar, Patton. It’s a monarch one to be exact. When they turn into butterflies, they do the longest migration known to the insect world. All the way to a forest in Mexico!” His eyes sparked with his infatuation with the tiny animal. Patton stared in awe,  
“Wowzers!” Logan blushed and seemed to appreciate Patton’s interest.   
From his perch, Virgil watched as Patton asked questions about Logan’s find and Logan carefully informed him. Logan was easy to get to open up if you knew his passions. The tiny boy loved learning and sharing what he had learned. Virgil couldn’t help but smile at the two of them. Logan was carefully steadying Patton’s hand to let the caterpillar climb on. Patton was giggling at how the creature wriggled and squirmed, sending tickling sensations up and down his hands. The afternoon sun kissed the scene with gentle rays. It made Patton’s hair appear almost golden and reflected off Logan’s eyes, making the brown a million shades lighter. The small smile he wore scrunched up his nose, lifting his glasses up slightly. Logan was looking at Patton with his careful curiosity, like he was his next objective. To learn about Patton and to discover all he could about him. Virgil let himself hang from the branch before dropping to the ground. Patton looked up as he came over. Logan immediately gravitated towards him, half hiding behind him and grabbing the edge of Virgil’s hoodie. Upon Patton’s prompting, the older boy examined the caterpillar. He listened to Logan ramble on about the migration process of the monarch butterfly and asked questions when Logan paused for breath. Patton let Virgil hold the caterpillar as he began to unload the picnic basket.   
“What’s his name?” Virgil asked as Logan dangled some milkweed in front of their new friend. Logan shrugged,  
“It’s a caterpillar and wouldn’t be able to recognize a name. It doesn’t really make sense to name him.” Virgil frowned slightly.  
“What if we named him anyway?” Logan looked at him and blinked a few times before looking back at the creature.  
“Steve?” He asked finally. Patton grinned,  
“I like that!” Logan looked slightly startled at the outburst of joyful enthusiasm. Virgil just nodded slightly.  
“Steve is good.” Virgil and Logan exchanged smiles before they settled with Patton.   
The picnic was simple, just some sandwiches, apple slices, and several water bottles filled with lemonade. The three let the peacefulness of the afternoon infiltrate the silence that surrounded them. The grassy field was interrupted by occasional trees and a circular path. Patton smiled as Logan kept getting distracted by Steve.   
“Eat your dinner, Logan, please.” He requested gently. Logan shoved another bite of sandwich into his mouth but was soon back to examining Steve.   
Patton glanced around. He carefully shook out the container that had held the sandwiches, dumping any crumbs back into the picnic basket. He offered the empty container to Logan,  
“Here, put some leaves and stuff in here for Steve and then you don’t have to worry about him wandering off.” Patton offered a smile as Logan grabbed the container. He carefully transferred Steve to Patton’s hand before tearing off towards where he had found the milkweed. Virgil snorted,  
“That kid.” He muttered more to himself than anyone else.  
“He’s amazing.” Patton offered with a smile. Virgil looked slightly surprised but relaxed a second later.  
“Yeah,” he agreed, watching as Logan came hurrying back, “he’s pretty great, isn’t he?”  
Once Steve was placed in his new home and chewing leaves happily, Logan was finally able to focus on food. The sandwiches disappeared at a rate that only two growing boys can create. The apple slices disappeared more slowly but Patton was happy to see them all eventually follow the sandwiches. He then pulled a final box out of the basket.   
“I know you asked for that jam cake, Virgil, but the frosting would’ve melted so I made jam thumbprints. I hope that’s okay.” He popped the lid open and revealed six beautifully golden-brown cookies with hollows in the middle. Each hollow was filled with glossy purple jelly and the whole cookie was topped with a dusting of powdered sugar. They looked oddly Christmas-y in the middle of fall and Logan’s eyes went a little wider at the sight of them. Virgil shot him a subtle look and Patton’s mind hit upon a realization. Virgil had asked these for Logan. He couldn’t take it! He was sure his heart would explode for how much he loved these boys! Aaaaaaaaa!  
Patton managed to hold back a squeal as he offered Logan a cookie. The boy gave him a grateful smile and bit into the dessert. Virgil watched in amusement as Logan’s whole face lit up. The boy nibbled at the cookie, savoring it. Virgil took one for himself and let the flavor of Patton’s baking thrill him. He sighed through his nose in satisfaction. The cookie was delicious, to put it simply. The shortbread was perfectly baked with a buttery flavor that was chased with the sweetness of the jam. Logan had always loved jam and jellies which is why Virgil had opted for this dessert. He could think of all the times that Logan had lit up at the suggestion of jelly and how, when they were younger, he had caught Logan with a jar.   
They had been in their first foster home and freedom was a new concept to them. However, their first foster parents took the time and patience to show them that they could relax and take life without constant anxiety. Something that was easier said than done. However, there had been one night that Logan had taken a bold step forward. Virgil could recall waking up in the middle of the night with a feeling that something was off. Logan’s bed had been empty, and panic had seized him. He’d stumbled down the stairs and nearly tripped over the child who was sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor. The foster parents, woken by the noise, had tripped out of their own room and turned on the light. Logan was frozen to the spot, clutching a nearly empty jar to his chest. His fingers were hidden in his mouth as the spoons were too high up for him to reach. His wide eyes had filled with tears upon being discovered but, to both Storm boy’s surprise, the two adults had just started laughing at the situation. Logan had been changed out of jam covered clothes and the floor had been cleaned of any of the mess. Virgil had bundled Logan into his bed and wrapped an arm around him to keep him there all night.   
Virgil came out of the memory to help Logan and Patton clear the ground. Patton made them survey the area carefully, making sure that they had cleaned everything up after them.   
“This is the critter’s house, after all,” he said cheerily, “we want to make sure that we leave it all nice and neat.” Finally, they headed back towards the Strand’s house.   
Logan held Steve in his container as they entered the Strand’s. Patton couldn’t help but note the visible change in the boys. Logan especially hung back and let Virgil go first. Virgil squared his shoulders and shook his bangs down in front of his eyes. He buried one hand into his hoodie pocket and let the other one hang by his side. A moment later, Patton saw Logan’s slim hand slip into his brother’s. Quietly, he watched as Mrs. Strand came into view, her sunny smile fixed on her face,  
“Welcome home, boys! Did you have fun with Mr. Sanders?” Neither boy verbally answered but Virgil nodded stiffly. Logan shifted his weight and readjusted his grip on Steve. Mrs. Strand’s face clouded, “Logan,” her voice sounded strained, “what is that?” Logan hid more behind Virgil and mumbled something.  
“It’s a monarch caterpillar!” Patton put in, “We found him today and Logan wanted to bring him back so he could watch him turn into a butterfly.” Mrs. Strand was already shaking her head,  
“I think not.” She fixed her Hollywood smile on Logan, “Sweetheart, bugs and icky things like that belong outside. So, I want you to take the nice worm and let him go. Okay?” Logan seemed to visibly flinch at both the tone and the plethora or incorrect information that was being thrown at him. He looked carefully at Virgil while he spoke,  
“Couldn’t I keep him in my room? I promise he’ll stay in the box or a box since Patton will probably want his container back.” Mrs. Strand looked surprised.   
Honestly, she was shocked that Logan had spoken to her. He had often responded to her with the occasional “yes ma’am” or a half-hearted attempt to explain himself that usually led to him tapering off into silence. It was almost as if he had given up on trying with adults. Honestly, she was closer to the truth than she thought. Years of being told what to do, where to go, and to keep moving on, even when his brother vanished from his life, had taught Logan a single lesson: grownups hear only what they want to. His life was filled with plenty of evidence of this fact. Mrs. Strand was just one more adult who heard what she thought and everything you said that agreed with it.   
Perhaps, though, that was a little unfair of Logan. Mrs. Strand had, in fact, slaved away over parenting books and had found passion in the desire to be a foster care parent. The problem was that she wasn’t quite ready for the long road that it would take for these children to heal. Especially the ones that had been through the same killing routine for years. The fact that Logan was making a counter request caught her completely off guard. She took a moment to look over the boy.   
Logan had tilted his head down, but his eyes glanced nervously up at her. His eyes were wide and the deep pools of brown seemed to grow wider and deeper at the same time. He began to chew his lower lip in childish anticipation. All in all, he looked like a child in a storybook. Mrs. Strand felt her face soften and her resolve crumble. She sighed and leaned back, placing her hands on her hips.   
“Well…alright.” A genuine smile touched her lips. It was, in Patton’s opinion, much more beautiful than any of the other smiles he had seen her wear. Logan looked shocked beyond belief and ducked his head as he offered a smile to Steve.   
“Thank you.” He whispered and then, quite quickly, he slipped out of the room. The three listened to the sound of excited feet pattering up the stairs. Virgil gave a respectful nod to Mrs. Strand. The woman looked happier than ever. Virgil wondered if he’d taken it too far and sincerely hoped that she wouldn’t do anything over the top like try to hug him or something. However, Mrs. Strand seemed to be content with the progress made so far and didn’t advance for a hug or any sort of contact. Instead, she thanked Patton and wandered off into the kitchen, humming to herself. Patton smiled at Virgil and opened his arms for him. The dark teen shifted and then shuffled himself into Patton’s arms. The landlord sighed and tucked Virgil’s head under his chin.  
“I missed you, Virgil.” He whispered. The teen sighed and returned Patton’s hug.  
“I miss everything.” He muttered with a hint of bitterness. Patton drew back and held Virgil by the shoulder, using his other hand to tilt the boy’s head up. They locked eyes and Patton offered him a look of encouragement.  
“I know you’re mad at me for what I did but I hope you know I did it because I love you very, very much, Virgil. I can’t imagine what you’re going through but I also know you’ll get through it because it’s you, Kiddo! You have no idea how strong and amazing you are but you don’t give up and you keep finding reasons to keep going. That’s more than most people in the world, Verge, and I’m so proud of you for doing that.” He paused to brush the bangs back and to press a quick kiss to Virgil’s forehead. Virgil huffed slightly and swiped at his nose with one hoodie sleeve,  
“I know you think that, Pat but…honestly…I’m not that strong.” He lowered his eyes, “I try to be. I want to be. I don’t want Logan to have to go through all the stuff I had to. I want to keep him safe and I want him to know that I’m always gonna be there for him but…” Virgil paused to compose himself, “How can I do any of that if I can’t even keep my own head straight? I just…everything is so much all the time and now I’m back where I started.” The words became interrupted by suppressed sobs and Patton couldn’t help but pull the boy closer again. He rocked them slowly back and forth as Virgil finally let go.   
Days of crappy customers, missing Logan, struggling to come to terms with fear, anxiety, terror, mistrust, and the constant need to be looking over his shoulder came pouring out. Pained whimpers and cries that he had too long suppressed finally broke out of his fractured heart. Patton hummed and shushed him softly, gently sinking to the floor when Virgil became to tired even to stand. In Patton’s arms, Virgil felt unexplainably safe and wanted. He was loved and desired and he was protected. The sunny man seemed to be his light in the dark. On all the hard days, the sad days, the anxious days, the broken days, Patton had always been there to offer him a smile and to treat him with more compassion than Virgil knew was possible. The man had become not only his safety zone but also his example. He wanted whatever this happiness was that Patton had. He wanted to be able to smile and to laugh and to just relax. He was so tired of fighting, of giving in, of accepting his fate, he wanted out, he wanted to be free, and he wanted to be with Patton. As his tears slowed and Virgil let himself grow lax against the solid form that had become his rock, he wondered if this was how a parent was supposed to be. If a dad was supposed to be the one to hold you and comfort you, even when the world was crashing around you. If it wasn’t that…what else could it be?


	16. How Have You Survived It All?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr. D just wants his carefully planed and painfully organized life to return to normal. At once. Please. No? Well, no one thought it would work anyway...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all you peoples! I am alive and well except for the exhaustion that only comes from finals and working in a grocery store during a major health epidemic. Seriously. Lines down the aisles. Why do you people need so much toilet paper? And other stuff? Why is now any different? Someone explain?!   
I'm tired, guys but this chappy is loooooooooooong overdue so here is some more of Remus being Remus and Roman being Roman and Mr. D being done.   
I hope you enjoy!

“Roman, come now, you can’t possibly be serious?!”  
Mr. D, bless him, was truly trying his hardest to reason with a man who was accustom to doing what he wanted when he wanted. Roman Sanders was as pigheadedly stubborn as his little brother who was currently washing mayonnaise off himself in the fountain outside the hotel. The staff were standing in awkward clusters, asking each other what to do about the man. Mr. D wondered how long it would take them until they called the police. So far, nothing had happened save a general halt in employee productivity. He turned back to Roman who was leaning against his pristine white sports car, surveying Remus with a considerable amount of disgust. Not that anyone could blame him.   
Roman had utterly failed at being incognito, if the fashionista had been trying to be incognito in the first place. He was wearing shiny reflective glasses and a brilliant white blazer that looked somewhat out of place with his simple red v-neck and deep navy blue jeans. His ankles were crossed in a casual fashion and his hands were buried deep in his pockets. The whole look was completed by the soft hair that had been swept off to the side. He appeared to be, at most, half listening to what his flustered agent had to say. He sighed now and let his head roll in Mr. D’s direction,  
“I can’t just abandon them, you know. Not to mention that Remus would be the worst candidate for the task.” He lowered his glasses slightly to look at the man who was now, per Mr. D’s request, unloading armfuls of trash from the black car. Roman shuddered,  
“But think about this rationally, Roman!” Mr. D pleaded, “You don’t have time for children. You have a life! A career! Besides, you haven’t been there for them this long, what difference does it make now?” Evidently, that was the wrong question because Roman turned on the man, giving him his full attention.  
“Excuse you, sir!” He squeaked in indignant rage, “I am a Prince! That means that I will act with honor.” He turned, sweeping an arm back, making the end of his blazer flip up to drive emphasis into his statements. Mr. D rubbed his forehead and begged himself not to kill both Princes and just be done with everything. He took a deep breath and tried again,  
“Roman…” He was cut off by the sound of someone shrieking.  
Remus had apparently decided it an excellent idea to climb into the trash can and pop up in front of unsuspecting guests. A woman had been wandering by when he had jumped up at her. She was now screaming in hysterics and Remus was laughing, waving a finger at her like a child pulling a practical joke. He rocked back and forth, dangerously close to tipping the whole trashcan over and smashing his teeth into the concrete. Mr. D was almost inclined to let him, wondering if he would actually learn anything from an accident. Someone from the staff pulled out their phone and began to dial a number. Mr. D groaned.  
“Right,” he stated in an icy, chipper tone, “I am going to take Remus out of here and text you later. We’ll meet up and discuss this over dinner. If you do not show up for dinner, do not doubt that I will inform every single reporter I know where you are, and you will not have a moment of peace and quiet.” The words ended in a hiss. Roman snorted and didn’t bother turning around. Mr. D raised his hands in a sudden urge to grip the perfect neck and shake the man for all he was worth. Instead, he turned and stalked over to Remus, ordering him out of the trashcan and then dragging him by the ear back to their car, lecturing him the whole way.   
Poor Mr. D, some would say. His heart was in the right place but the process in which he tried to convince others didn’t always match his intentions. Then again, the Prince boys were hardly people that anyone could be very patient with. Roman talked about being a Prince as being a person with honor but he had sworn off any association with his brother other than the occasional trip somewhere. Frankly, Mr. D avoided having Remus drive the fashionista as much as possible for fear that the unstable man would wonder what it would be like to kill Roman and then, without hesitation, find out. Such was his unfortunate lot in life. He sighed as Remus pulled up to their own hotel. Mr. D instructed him to park in the back where they could get in less conspicuously. He led Remus up to his room and ordered him to shower without drowning or scalding himself or giving himself hypothermia. With each restriction, Remus’ face dropped somewhat but Mr. D wasn’t swayed by the disappointed looks. He’d done this far too many times to give in even the slightest bit to Remus’ whimsies.   
Once he’d assured that Remus wouldn’t be dead the next time he came knocking on the door, Mr. D went to his own room and collapsed on the bed. He stared up at the popcorn textured ceiling and tried to organize his thoughts. He was away for one weekend. ONE. He had decided to let himself take one measly weekend for himself and, save one phone call from Roman telling him that he wanted to drive somewhere, (to which Mr. D told him that he was a licensed adult and could drive himself if he wanted to) Mr. D had actually had a relaxing time. In hindsight, he should’ve pushed more on where Roman was driving and why. However, he hadn’t and that had led to him finding a plethora of unread messages about missed interviews, appointments, a photo shoot, and more. Hence his impromptu road trip. He hadn’t even packed for this! He groaned upon realizing that Remus hadn’t either and would probably sooner wander around in the nude than try to clean his driving uniform. Mr. D rolled over and pressed his face into the bedclothes. He breathed in the smell of cheap detergent before sighing and dragging himself back to his feet. He snatched his phone and headed out.   
Remus scrubbed himself with the wet washcloth. The soap was still wrapped up in its paper covering, untouched by the man. He hated the smell of it. He glared at it between the wet locks of his hair, knowing that Mr. D would make him take a shower all over again if he didn’t use it. Right now he smelled like wet dog. A wet dog that had rolled around in garbage for a while and then run through a waterfall of mayonnaise. A smile tugged at his lips with this amusing image in his mind. He should start a line of soaps himself! “Wet Trash Dog Dunked in Mayo” had a wonderful ring. He contemplated what the packaging would look like as he twisted the shower knob between scalding and freezing with vigorous jerks. Finally, he groaned and grabbed the soap. He took a deep whiff of his right armpit and held his breath as he stripped off the wrapping, pretending he was skinning a creature alive.


	17. Baby Bird, Eyes So Big

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What?? More hurt/comfort?? In this story? Never.... *Deceit looming in the background*   
(Seriously though)  
Logan is plagued by the fear that Virgil will leave him again and the events of the police station and looming reality that change is coming, he sees similarities between the time Virgil left before and now. His terror is turned into an unhealthy amount of separation anxiety. The Strands desperately want to help but are forced to leave most of the kind gestures to a certain "dad" who has gained the lost boy's trust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyy!  
Here's some warnings for this chappy:  
There is a major panic attack and mentions of separation anxiety. But also cuddles. Patton cuddles. So it's not great but it's okay.   
As far as I go...let's just say I've started therapy and I don't know if it's helping or not but I'm trying. :)

Logan looked up from his place on the bed when Virgil slipped in. The teen closed the door softly and Logan was already clambering off the bed to get closer to him. Virgil sighed in the way he did when he was feeling the weight of some unresolvable burden. Logan tried not to feel guilty about causing that weight. He couldn’t seem to help this feeling of building panic that struck him whenever Virgil left his line of sight. He kept it at bay the first few days of being reunited with his brother. However, the events of the police station had driven some new fear to the surface.   
The fear it would all happen again.   
The clear image of the lonely nights, the feeling of hopelessness, the reality of being utterly and completely abandoned by the one person who swore to protect him. All of it was too much for the traumatized mind to handle. Logan clung to the edge of Virgil’s hoodie and Virgil made his way over to the bed. Three nights of having Logan slip into his room after the Strand’s went to bed taught him that his little brother wasn’t getting to sleep without him. He climbed onto the mattress and tugged Logan to him until he lay with his head on Virgil’s chest. Logan listened to Virgil’s heartbeat. It pulsed in a strong fast rhythm. He began to count the beats. He got to 100 and started over. Virgil lay, staring up at the ceiling, gently rubbing Logan’s back. He felt responsible for the brokenness of Logan’s mind. The boy had changed a lot since Virgil had last seen him.   
He could remember a Logan that was bright and curious and full of questions. Upon meeting the boy after so many years, the change in him had startled Virgil. He was scarily quiet almost all of the time. The way he always was watching and seemed to be searching for the hidden agenda behind everything anything said was heartbreaking. The boy was slowly relaxing in his arms and Virgil shifted his gaze onto the peaceful face. One slim hand was curled into his hoodie, clutching it like a lifeline. Virgil felt the horrid thought that he had made Logan worse by coming back slip into his mind. He sucked in a breath and held it. He couldn’t freak out or panic now. He had to take care of Logan. Take care of Logan. Take care of Logan. Take care of Logan…With this chanting in his head, the emo teen also drifted off.  
The darkness around him was suffocating. He felt it closing in all around him. He couldn’t breath, he couldn’t fight. His limbs felt heavy and the air was too heavy to draw into his lungs. He was in a small enclosed space, a closet probably. He shoved the clothes out of the way and found the crack in the door. He pressed his eye to it and tried to see what was going on outside. There was a light on the end table next to the bed, a lamp without a shade on it. The bulb cast strange shadows all around the room and it flickered every now and again. Heavy steps shook the ground and he held his breath. A man larger than a bear came stocking by. His shoulders were broad and his chest and arms were extremely hairy. He wore a white tank top that was stretched over his bulging stomach. His eye were piercing and quick, darting around. In one hand he held an empty bottle of beer, in the other was a limp form. Virgil didn’t struggle in the man’s grasp, he didn’t even raise his head as his body was pulled across the floor. Logan felt his breath catch and tried to move. He couldn’t. He tried to look away. He couldn’t. He was helpless, watching as the man dragged Virgil towards a roaring fireplace that hadn’t been there seconds before. Logan screamed.  
Virgil started awake when he heard the sounds of his little brother in distress. His eyes flew open and he looked around. Logan was twisting himself in the sheets that were pinning his arms to his sides. There were rapid footsteps on the stairs and Virgil knew he had mere seconds to try and help Logan.   
“Logan,” he called softly, forcing his voice to be steady and to keep his panic from rising, “hey, Lolo, it’s just a dream, you’re safe.” He quickly freed Logan from the sheets. The door flew open with a bang, pulling Logan out of his hellish nightmare.  
The Strands stood in the door without any clue how to proceed. Mrs. Strand was dressed in purple blue silk pjs, holding her cellphone in one hand. Mr. Strand was blinking in the darkness, trying to find a light switch. If it had been some other time, Virgil would’ve found the man’s rubber ducky pajamas amusing. Both had wild bedheads and both looked properly terrified.   
“What happed?!” Mrs. Strand demanded and then checked her volume, having accidentally shouted at the boys. Logan flinched and turned. His whole body froze save the minute trembling that wracked his tiny frame. Tears pooled from his eyes as he stared at some unseen memory that was beyond the present world. His breath stopped and he sat there, still and silent. There was seldom a time when Virgil wasn’t scared or worried but right now, in this moment, he was terrified. He turned to the Strands with desperation written across his features,  
“Call Patton! Now!”  
To be fair, Patton should’ve been getting used to these middle of the night calls but it took a couple attempts before he was pulled from slumber. He picked up the phone sleepily, trying hard not to fall back into the black bliss that was calling him.   
“Hello?”   
“Patton?! Thank goodness! This is Linda, the boys need you, how soon can you get here?!”   
To be fair, the Strands had never could have imagined how the real-life event of scarred children would be. The reality of the situation was much darker than anyone was prepared for, especially Logan. It was with quite of bit of surprise that he was pulled from his spiral of thoughts but a warm, soft embrace. He both wanted to flight it and sink into it. A gentle hand smoothed his wild bedhead and the arms were strong around him. For the first time in years, Logan released an audible sob. He clutched the warmth and held on. It returned his embrace with gentle ferocity, grounding him and reminding him that he wasn’t alone. Logan felt himself being rocked slowly back and forth.   
Virgil watched Patton’s bigger form engulf his little brother. Patton hadn’t said anything when he entered the room, he’d simply walked in and his face had morphed into an expression that was incredibly sad. He’d then simply placed himself on the bed and scooped the smaller boy into his arms. Virgil had felt tears of his own spring into his eyes as Logan released his first cry. With shy and slow movements, Virgil settled himself so he was leaning against Patton’s back, quietly drawing comfort. Patton glanced at the boy but didn’t release his grip on Logan. The Strands drew comfort from one another, standing in the doorway, wondering how they were supposed to help the two broken boys.


	18. You Are Fighting So Hard To Live

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into Roman's past and why he and Remus are so at odds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The timeline of this chapter overlaps the previous one. There is a lot more angst in here than I intended but I promise to give you all a little bit of happiness in the near future!   
You know, hopefully.

Roman sagged in relief at the text from Mr. D. Apparently, something about Remus and clothes left the man unable to meet up for dinner tonight. He almost felt bad for him. He knew first hand what it was like to deal with a nude Remus. A shiver went down his spine as he recalled the twenty or so odd times he’d been ordered to take care of his little brother. The family life that Roman had had wasn’t the worst but it was hardly the best.  
Their parents had been “go-getters”. They lived for work and work meant travel for them. They had been representatives of an international company and Roman had possessed a calendar that was used only for the days that his parents were not at home. Perhaps it was the lack of parenting that drove the siblings apart. As the eldest, he had been assumed to have responsibilities. He was supposed to be the example! Supposed to be the responsible one! Remus had constantly struggled being the younger twin, forever feeling like he was stuck in Roman’s shadow and pressured to do the same as he did. The two brothers had quietly agreed to disagree, perhaps out of a desire to gain their parents’ attention. And then she was born. Their little sister seemed to captivate their parents beyond anything they had ever had before. Roman and Remus had been seven when she was born. Roman could recall when they had brought her home. She had been swaddled in a pink blanket and Remus had commented that she looked like a dying frog. Their mother had just smiled down at her and told them that she was perfect. That had been the beginning of the knot of jealousy that Roman had let grow.   
The birth of their little sister seemed to awaken some parental awareness in their mother. She had been home a lot more after that, caring for them. Or, at least, trying to. The poor woman had missed much of Roman and Remus’ development and she was so busy with the baby that she found it difficult to understand her boys. So difficult, it seems, that she gave up trying altogether. The twins argued constantly, bickering and fighting over every little thing they could get themselves worked up about. Roman had counted down the days before he could move out. He had been determined to go to college somewhere far, far away from his childhood house. He ended up going farther than even he anticipated, into Paris where he learned the ins and outs of fashion. Remus hadn’t gone to college, at least, not that Roman knew of. He hadn’t made an effort to keep in touch with his little brother, though. Or any of his family for that matter. Even now, the only reason that he saw Remus was because of Mr. D’s hiring him to be a personal driver. Aside from that, he had skillfully avoided his family for years. Perhaps he had avoided them a little too well.  
His mind wandered to the two boys who he had accidentally scared out of their minds by announcing his relationship to them. The previously unconfirmed relationship. He looked over at his phone which sat innocently on his bedside table. If he unlocked it, the screen would take him directly to the open email about the DNA results. His confirmation that these boys were no longer just boys. They were his nephews. He was going to be their guardian. A smile lit up his face at the same time a feeling of terror hit his chest. He was gonna be a dad! Kind of. Almost. More like an uncle. Yeah…and uncle. That was right, right? Yeah. He thought so. Yeah. Pretty sure. He was gonna be an uncle! Well. He already was. That was a given. But now it was gonna be super official! His sunny smile lit up his face.   
It was one of those smiles that the media rarely saw. It was a genuinely happy smile. A smile that showed the slight dimple in his right cheek and made his eyes twinkle. The Colgate smile he wore for the paparazzi. It a smile that Mr. D saw on rare occasions and Remus recalled as a childhood memory. The very thought of introducing these two younglings into his life was almost beyond his comprehension. He dared to let himself think for the moment how his life was going to change. These two energetic boys entering his life would bring an end to many of the feelings of loneliness that he felt.   
Loneliness. He hated the word and spent most of his time avoiding it. Many people sought love, a committed partner to end the loneliness. However, Roman couldn’t bring himself to think of admitting another person into his life for the sake of love. How could he love another if he could not even love himself? He stood and began to wander around the room, hunting for a distraction as he often did when such thoughts entered his mind. His pacing was brought to an immediate halt, though, when he caught his reflection in the mirror. How many times had he looked in the mirror, trying get his outfit and his hair just right? How many times had he done this and then been stopped by an onslaught of unwelcomed voices? The doubts, the criticisms, the debilitating questions that were directed at him everyday were nothing compared to what his mind could do. The haters could hate but his mind could destroy. And it did. Every time he looked in the mirror.   
Roman shook himself suddenly and snatched up his fedora. He would find someplace to eat! He was craving a large chocolate milkshake with whipped cream and a cherry and a fistful of fries to dunk into it. Maybe an extra large burger with extra cheese too. His acne would hate him later but, right now, he couldn’t bring himself to care. He swept out of the room with confidence, knowing full well that his phone was still resting on his nightstand. Checking his pocket to make sure he still had his wallet and key card, he let the door fall shut. Hat down, sunglasses on, swagger awesome, he headed out to hunt for his dinner.


	19. One So Broken, Yet You Still Give

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton wishes he could be there for the boys all the time. He just wants to help them. He wants to help everyone, including the odd man who unexpectedly stepped into his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.   
Remus.   
Those are your warnings for this chapter.

Patton sighed down at the slumbering form in his arms. Logan had gripped him and refused to let go. Virgil was falling asleep, one hand had found its way into Logan’s smaller one. The older boy’s eyes would begin to slip close, Logan would hiccup or give a small whimper and Virgil’s eyes were open once more. Patton moved one hand into the purple locks and began to smooth them out. He felt Virgil relax a little at a time, giving into the comforting touch of the only adult he actually loved. Patton wondered how long he could keep going back and forth for the boys. It would be so much easier if he could live with the boys. Be right there for them when they needed him. He sighed and shook his head, he shouldn’t waist time pondering what could be but never would.   
It took another 15 minutes for the Storm boy’s to finally settle. With expert skill, Patton shifted from the tangle of limbs, watching the boys reach out for each other in their sleep. He turned and looked at the clock on the night stand, it was almost 4:30 AM. His gaze wandered to the container that had somehow made its way into Virgil’s room. He smiled and stepped around the various articles of clothing that littered the floor. He bent down to peer into the box, locating the wriggling caterpillar.   
“Hi, Steve.” He whispered before making his way out of the room. The Strands were sitting in the living room, speaking softly to each other. They stopped as soon as Patton came into the dim lighting. They exchanged quite thanks and tired smiles. Patton bid them goodnight and then made his way out to his car. With another sigh, he leaned his head against the steering wheel. It took him a few seconds to gather his thoughts before he pulled out of the driveway and began the short trip home. As he drove he let his mind wander.   
Virgil and Logan weren’t getting any better and it didn’t make sense to expect time to work magic. While Patton knew that the passage of time would have an effect on how the boys reacted and behaved but it wasn’t a surprise that they would need some outside assistance. Therapy was something Patton was familiar with. He could recall exactly how he felt going to his first session, how he pushed himself to be better and how he’d become frustrated when he wasn’t miraculously fixed. He shook his head, that was a long time ago. Besides, the boys’ cases were different from his and they would probably find a much better therapist-  
A man suddenly popped up in front of the car. Patton screamed and slammed on the breaks. Thank heavens the roads were practically deserted at this time of the morning. Patton shook as he threw open the door and stepped out to confront the lunatic. The man before him made him pause dead in his tracks. He was rather short, slumped over and his body language was lethargic. However, the bright eyes were extremely alert, and they pinned Patton in place. The most unsettling part of the person before him, however, was his state of undress. He was wearing nothing but a pair of leather, skin tight boxers. Boxers that did anything but flatter his slightly chubby body. Patton blinked again, unsure what to do in the situation. The man stared back, wiggling his thick moustache back and forth.  
Don’t ask Patton how, but a few minutes later he found himself driving back to his apartments with the stranger settled next to him. Remus, as the individual called himself, rolled the window up and down, sticking his fingers into the space and extracting them at the last minute. According to him, he’d been sleep walking and woken up in the middle of the sidewalk with nothing on him. He had no phone, no other clothes, and no idea where he was. Patton had, begrudgingly, offered to take him back to the apartments and to provide him a phone. Remus had seemed pleased and surprised with the gesture of kindness, taking full advantage of the man’s confusion. He decided that he liked Patton, he would be fun to mess with. When he saw the blue buildings that Patton stopped in front of, he was out of the car in an instant, exploring the outside, peering around every corner. Patton watched this almost child-like wonder expose itself before Remus turned to him,  
“Can I borrow a phone?” He somehow made the simple request sound like he’d just asked Patton to strip off all his clothes and dance in the early morning light. Patton blinked again before leading him into his apartment and directing him to the landline. He wasn’t sure why, but he had a certain resentment towards the notion of letting Remus touch his cell phone. He watched as Remus dialed a number and then jerk the phone away from his ear and hang up quickly. He cackled happily before redialing the same number. This repeated itself several times (one of which Remus screamed “NAILS NAILED TO A CHALKBOARD” into the phone before hanging up). Finally, the phone rang before Remus could dial again. He picked up, winking at Patton.  
“Hello?”   
Patton tried his best to unhear the long line of curses and threats that slipped through the phone. Remus held it away from his ear, laughing the whole time. Eventually, the conversation got around to giving addresses and someone saying they would be there soon. Patton still stood by the door with his keys in his hand. He needed coffee, he decided. A lot of it.   
Mr. D approached the light blue buildings in a bit of a huff. He clenched and unclenched his hands as he fumed before the door. Staring into it, debating whether he take the opportunity to leave and never return for Remus. Then again, he couldn’t bear to leave him the keep of anther person. He himself knew what it was like to be looked at as a freak. With a sigh, he knocked on the door and smoothed his expression into a smile. A moment later, a very frazzled and tired looking man peeped out. He looked surprised to see the elegantly clad gentleman at his door. Mr. D stood in his typical three piece suit with the addition of a silken bathrobe draped over his arm. He’d practically torn Remus’ room apart looking for his clothes but in the end had found neither head or tail of them. He had come across some other unmentionable items, however. Mr. D’s smile faultered slightly at the memory but, luckily, the soft looking man had chosen that exact second to glance behind him as he opened the door. Mr. D stepped into the room and immediately located his prey. Remus was lounging on the sofa, twisting a finger in his nose and staring dreamily off into the distance. Mr. D strode forward quickly and draped the robe around him.   
“Come, we’re going to eat breakfast.” The orders were short and simple. Mr. D knew this much about the Prince boys: never overcomplicate your sentences, especially when they hadn’t consumed proper food. Remus immediately lost the dazed look in his eyes at the mention of sustenance. He jumped to his feet, knocking the robe to the floor in the process. Mr. D sighed again and picked it up.  
Patton watched as, with much fussing, Remus was swaddled in the fabric. Mr. D tied the front tightly and then knotted it for good measure. He said a few short words to Remus and then pressed a pair of keys into his hand. Remus’ whole face ignited in a chaotic grin as he bounded to the door. He stopped only long enough to grip Patton by the shoulders and plant enormous (and somewhat sloppy) kisses on either cheek. The elegant man shook his head, offering Patton a square of soft yellow fabric to wipe his face.  
“I do apologize, he is quite excitable, unfortunately. He then drew out his leather wallet from his inside pocket and a few crisp bills made their way out into the world. “Here,” the man offered them to Patton, “I want to extend my thanks for looking after him. He is a difficult charge, I am aware.” Patton blinked before shaking his head.  
“I’m just glad he’s safe. I really do respect that you’re such a good friend, Mr….” Mr. D quietly drew a card from his sleeve,  
“People call me D, quite simply. It is rather a position of him being my employee. I suppose I could turn him out at any minute but the poor fellow hasn’t anywhere else to go.” He sighed and slipped the money and wallet back out of sight before tugging back on his gloves. “Thank you again…” He raised and eyebrow at the frazzled man.  
“Patton.”  
“Pat-ton, then. Thank you for looking out for him. With any luck, we shan’t bother you again. Good morning!” He strode to and out the door before Patton could reply. He watched in bewilderment as the portal closed with a sure thud.  
He sank to the couch, staring at the card that was still in his hands. It was simple and the black font revealed nothing to him except the man’s address and number. An occupation wasn’t printed anywhere on the small paper and Patton twisted it round and round, as if trying to find it. He finally set it aside and rose to get ready for the day. He yawned and stretched and wandered to the kitchen to finally get coffee started. With that on its way he quickly changed and straightened his hair until it looked semi presentable. He tied the cardigan around his neck and adjusted his glasses as he moved back out into the kitchen. Breakfast was waffles and eggs and bacon and coffee. He smiled as the kitchen was filled with the delicious smell of morning. His routine was a good start to the day and he looked forward to quietly sitting on his little back porch with the coffee mug cradled in his hands. He smiled as the birds flitted about and a certain level of peace finally descended upon his little corner of the world.  
Mr. D gave Remus a sound smack on the back of his head. The man let out a howl so loud one would’ve though he’d just been gutted like a fish.   
“You absolute idiot!” Mr. D hissed. The two of them were back in the hotel and Mr. Dee had ordered room service. Remus was still in his state of undress as he had apparently turned all his clothes into parachutes for the potted plants in his room. Unfortunately, none of the parachutes had been successful. Fortunately, all the plants had been artificial and no one had been walking underneath the window at the time of the experiment. Mr. D was now at his breaking point and was pacing about the room, looking like he needed something to throw and/or punch. Remus whined and clutched his head, muttering something about skinning his employer in the near future.   
“It’s not my fault we’re here!” He complained. Mr. D stopped dead in his tracks to slowly turn a murderous glare at the other man. Remus tried to make himself smaller as Mr. D’s hands shook.  
“Your brother is trying to adopt not one, but two homeless children, you are trapezing about like a lunatic escaped from an asylum, and I am this close to ending both of your existences so don’t you dare try to put any of this on me. Need I remind you that I can create a living hell for the both of you? The press will believe anything, especially something that comes from such a reliable source. Think carefully before you speak again and, if the next words I hear from you are not some kind of legitimate apology, I would remain very quiet if I were you.”  
Honestly, it was the longest Remus had ever stayed silent and, for the first time ever, Mr. D thanked the heavens that the two Prince’s had such stubborn pride.


	20. Baby Bird, Fly Back Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being made part of a family was....weird. Virgil and Logan are coming to terms that they might have to live with an uncle they hardly know. Roman is still oblivious that he may be taking on responsibility that he's not ready for. And Patton just wants to hold on a little longer to his boys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The world is falling apart, guys. Here's some angst to go with it.  
WARNING: Character passes out.

Nothing about the courthouse was welcoming or appealing. Virgil tugged at the tie around his neck for the fifteenth thousandth time. He hated how it fit around his neck, it felt like it could tighten at any time, cutting off his airflow. Also, the long sleeves of the suit jacket were tight and constricting. He wanted his hoodie. To emphasize the point of his discomfort, Virgil glared at everyone who was anyone. If he focused all his attention of his discomfort and aggravation, he didn’t have to think about the pit in his stomach. He didn’t have to dwell on the innumerable ways everything could go wrong. His eyes sought the form of his little brother emerging from the bathroom. The tiny body looked around uncertainly before seeing Virgil. Relief flooded his features and he trotted over to his big brother. Virgil straightened and extended his hand towards the younger Strom. The two made their way back to the heavy looking wooden doors. Virgil swallowed hard, trying not to think of how easy it would be to just get the frick out of there. He tightened his grip on Logan’s hand. It was like he couldn’t move, he was stuck to the shiny polished floor, stuck under the too bright lights and trapped with the people in their perfect suits and years of education. He felt Logan move forward. He watched the small boy look intently at him before Logan’s lips quirked into a small smile.  
“No more running, Virgil. We can be together without looking over our shoulders.” Virgil swallowed again and let himself be led into the room.  
For Logan. He could do this for Logan.   
The heavy doors swept closed behind him, sending a gust of wind through his hair. He felt dread pool into his stomach and he was hyper aware of the lack of escape routes. He looked towards the front of the room. Several familiar faces were staring at them. There were the Strands who held a series of mixed emotions on their faces. Virgil wasn’t sure if they were reluctant or relieved that this day had finally come. He recognized Roman as well, he was speaking to a cluster of lawyers and paralegals. Against their crisp black and tan clothes, Roman stuck out like a peacock. He was wearing a silvery white jacket and a royal blue silken shirt. His pants matched the jacket and a soft yellow tie completed the look. The only subtle thing about his outfit were the shiny black shoes that didn’t seem to go with his outfit at all. Patton was easy to spot in his baby blue shirt and tan jacket. He was looking at the boys with a soft, sad smile. Virgil wanted nothing more than to push towards the man but Logan was leading him to the front, to the table where everyone would watch them. He held his breath as Logan pulled him away from the safety of the rows of wooden benches. Patton beamed reassurances at him. Virgil heard ringing in his ears. He was aware of movement, of people talking. He was aware of the echo that filled his sense, the nudges he was given by Logan and the replies he mumbled when prompted. He was aware of the man in the yellow shirt and tie, watching him with a fixated and unreadable stare. Yet, he felt completely unaware the whole time. It was like everything was underwater. His throat was tight and he focused on remembering how to breath. The only thing he could imagine was worse than having a panic attack was having a panic attack in front of a sea of staring people. Suddenly, people were cheering. Virgil was jolted out of his focus and started to his feet. His wide eyes saw lawyers, Roman, and the judge smiling at him and Logan. Logan’s face was filled with concern. The man in yellow was moving quickly towards him. The ringing grew deafening before the world went black.   
Mr. D had been watching Virgil throughout the whole process. The boy had looked scared and in desperate need of some reassurance. He looked also completely unaware of what was going on. Everyone was ignoring the elder brother, though. He could hear whispers about how young Logan was and how sad it was and how good it was that the two boys would finally be getting a home. Mr. D couldn’t help but smirk at this. Little did these people know exactly how unprepared Roman was to take care of himself, let alone two emotionally compromised children. The judge had asked if the boys were ready to have Roman be their guardian and the quiet yeses couldn’t be heard past the first row. Virgil didn’t appear to even register what he was saying. The cheers startled the poor boy and he went as white as a sheet. Mr. D strode forward without thinking. He was just in time to catch the teen’s boy as he went limp.  
Roman was celebrating when he heard the collective shouting and gasps that filled the room. He turned just in time to see Mr. D neatly catch Virgil and sink down to the floor with him. Off came the bowler hat and he began to fan the boy’s face. Logan dropped next to him, untying Virgil’s tie as Mr. D gave him quiet direction. Patton raced up, holding a water bottle in his hand. People seemed torn on what to do so Roman took action. He moved over to the group and knelt down. Mr. D looked at him,  
“Help me get his jacket off, Roman.” Roman nodded and helped to pull the stiff material off. He then tucked Virgil into his arms and stood, surprised at how incredibly light the child was. Logan stood with them, still clutching Virgil’s tie to his chest. Patton guided them quickly through the crowd and out the door. They were directed to a small office that had a long couch. They settled there, keeping vigil over the unconscious boy. Patton ran a hand through his previously neat hair and looked up at the other two men. He blinked in surprise at Mr. D.  
“Hey! You came to my apartment to get your friend!” Mr. D looked Patton up and down, wheels turning behind his eyes. It had been four months since the incident and Mr. D had collected Remus at least half a dozen other times since Roman’s first escapade. (Again, I am writing this for relaxation and have done zero research about adoption processes so please don’t take anything in here as fact.) Something seemed to click, however, and Mr. D plastered on a smile.  
“Would’ve liked to formally meet you in a less strenuous situation but, yes, I believe I recall you.” He was dying inside, he seldom had the unfortunate luck to meet up with a person from Remus’ antics and he was thankful for the makeup that covered his flaring blush. As if the situation couldn’t get much worse, the door creaked open and the rat like man himself came in. He was brandishing a small bottle in one hand. Logan watched him with wide eyes, edging behind Patton slightly. Mr. D moved forward and snatched the bottle from the man’s hands,  
“No smelling salts, thank you.” Muttering, he tucked the vial into his inside pocket, “Where in heaven’s name you keep getting these, I haven’t the slightest notion.” Virgil chose this moment to groan slightly.  
The world swam back into focus and Virgil was aware that five people were staring down at him. He tensed and blinked up at them. The memories of what had happened came back into his mind and he flushed a brilliant red before groaning and hiding his face in his hands.   
“Kiddo, you feeling okay?” Another groan was the only answer Patton got.   
“You fainted,” Mr. D stated crisply, “I caught you so we don’t have to worry about a concussion but it would be best for you to drink something. I assume you haven’t been sleeping well and the pressure of impending change probably pushed you over the edge.” He spoke everything like he knew exactly what he was talking about. Roman wouldn't have been surprised if he did, seeing as Mr. D had dealt with his fair share of antics from both himself and Remus. Virgil moved his arm slightly to be able to study the man,  
“Who the…”  
“You may call me Mr. D, Virgil, I am Roman’s agent. This is Remus, he is also your uncle.” Logan peered again at Remus and once again hid behind Patton. Virgil looked sick at the word ‘uncle’. Patton ran his fingers through Virgil’s hair, causing the young boy to fasten his eyes onto the man. They all saw him visibly relax. His face adopted a look of trust and he accepted the water from Patton. He was quiet as the adults all made conversation over his head. Logan pressed against his side, small hand subtly taking his pulse. The round eyes darted between the different figures but most often settled on Remus. The man captivated Logan in some odd way. Perhaps it was the fact he was wearing suspenders attached to a belt. Perhaps it was the belt wasn’t on his pants but rather around his torso. Maybe it was that he was wearing a suit made out of leather and duct tape. In all probability, though, it was most likely a combination of all of the oddities that Remus had. The greasy man noticed Logan staring and flashed a smile at him,  
“Hello, Little Birdie!” He whispered in a voice that was almost a whisper scream. Logan hid against Virgil. Virgil hissed at Remus. Remus hissed back. Virgil blinked. He’d never had someone return the threat and he wasn’t quite sure how to proceed. His expression must’ve displayed this because Roman let out a chuckle which he quickly tried to stifle. The man failed, however, and his booming laugh filled the room. It was rich and full and deep and, apparently, highly contagious. Patton covered his shaky smile with his hand and Mr. D pressed his lips together. Remus joined into the laughing with a series of snorts, squeals, and a laugh that seemed to change every millisecond. Virgil glanced around at the odd group that he was now apart of. The fatherly figure with a weakness for cookies, the fashionista that had no idea what he was getting into, the agent that who had a constant migraine, the driver who was a constant migraine, and his little brother. Their future was sure to be full of adventures, ones that would fill them with joy, dread, sorrow, happiness, and so much more. For now, however, Virgil took a drink of the water Patton was still urging him to drink and closed his eyes against the bright lights.  
The laughter subsided and a seriousness settled on the group as they all began to realize that they must, all at once, go their separate ways for the evening. It was no secret that Roman didn't live anywhere close to Patton and both the boys and the landlord were terrified of the consequences of being apart. Patton offered the children a watery smile and held them both tight as they whispered broken goodbye's. He made promises to see them soon but they fell on numb ears. Logan felt the familiar dread of the unknown clenching unpleasantly at his insides. Virgil held him close, drawing comfort from the feeling that he was somehow protecting Logan from nonexistent threats. At least whatever they were facing now, they were facing together. Virgil sighed as they climbed into Roman's fancy car and the drive began. He looked out the back window, watching the courthouse disappear. There was relief in seeing one source of anxiety slip off behind him but he found he couldn't bring himself to look out of the windshield; the only shield he had from the future that was slowly but steadily drawing him in. He sighed and pulled Logan a little more securely against him, praying that the days that awaited them would be kinder than the ones of their past.


	21. Baby Bird, You Were Never Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton struggles to find a balance between missing the boys and finally getting a full night of sleep. Logan and Virgil have never seen something as massive as Roman's house and find themselves feeling more like kids for a bit.  
WARNING: MENTIONS OF DEAD BODIES AS A UNIT OF MEASUREMENT! REFERENCE TO PAST SELF HARM AND SCARS!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!! Guess what season it is her in the lovely state of Florida! Hurricane seasooooooooooon! That means that us peoples who work in grocery stores are getting people who are finally not stocking up because of corona but are stocking up on hurricane supplies. It's essentially like another wave of corona freak out but with less arguing. Anyway. I'm going to try (TRY, mind you) to go back to updating weekly. I'm trying to reestablish my life and a schedule so order is desired!  
Anyway, here's another chapter with a little bit of info on Roman's past and Virgil and Logan's different personalities. Enjoy!

Patton groaned and rolled over in his bed. The clock read 3:24 AM and sleep was evading him. His thoughts were with the two boys who were now in a place they could actually call home. It was odd, however, to be sleeping through the week. Not that Patton was complaining! He loved the boys more than life itself but getting pulled from his sleep at least once every other week was exhausting. Life, however, was almost unbearably quiet now. He pulled himself up and gripped the blanket, tightening it around his shoulders. With shuffling steps, he moved into the living room. The night outside was a soft scene. Lights from the street lamps dulled the shine of the stars and the cicadas screamed their presence. He looked out on the quiet and the still and shivered. With movements that seemed all too loud in contrast to the rest of the atmosphere, he made himself a cup of cocoa that was more marshmallows than liquid and settled himself down on the sofa. He stared at the blank screen in front of him and let his mind go blank. He was at a loss for thoughts and dreams evaded him. There was no happy “might have beens” that graced his mind. He wished almost that he could forget the two boys. They had come into his life so unexpectedly and had left it just as quickly. There was nothing left for him to grasp, everyone had left, like they always did. His mind, he knew, was wandering back into a dangerous corner. The corner that haunted him still. It held memories of individuals who had used him, abused him, and made him believe their lies. He had spent so long pulling himself out of that corner. He was tempted every now and again to slip back into it. The corner he was never supposed to look back into. His fingers brushed at his thighs beneath his soft pajama bottoms. The were coral pink with white lining the ends. Through the thin material he could feel the many tiny ridge that rose up above his skin. The reminders of his past battles, his victories. Regrets were a thing of the past for him. He could now look back on those nights and be proud. He had made it through a phase that not everyone did. He had gotten hurt along the way but he was here. That was the important part. He was here and he was okay. A smile touched his lips as he recalled that today marked a new high record for him. He had made it through another night, another day, and he had done it smiling. He sighed and snuggled down under his blanket, taking a sip of his warm drink and letting it run through him. It was a delightful feeling. Outside, the early morning rays prepared themselves to shed their grace upon the Sunshine State.  
Logan stared at the massive bookshelf. Most of it was covered in dusty novels that Roman had never touched and probably didn’t even know existed. He reached a slender hand up and pulled out one of the novels. The front was covered with pictures of stars and planets, the wide eyes took in the cover hungrily and, unable to refuse himself any longer, Logan sat down on the floor and cracked open the book. He was lost to the world within moments. The stories of stars and nebulas, the creation of blackholes and galaxies, all of it was captivating. His lips moved as he sounded out the long, difficult words.  
Virgil was standing in front of his bedroom. It was so weird to think of something as his and his alone. Not a temporary stay or a foster home; his. The room was spacious. The white carpet and cream colored walls were hardly appealing to look at. It was obvious that the room had been intended as a guest room. There were a few ocean themed decorations thrown on the walls and a rustic clock created the tired “beach look” that all of Florida seemed obsessed with. The curtains were a soft sea blue and the bedspread on the queen mattress was sandy yellow with white starfish scattered across it. A wooden chest lay against the foot of the bed, its style matching the nightstand as well as the desk which was tucked into a corner. Virgil tossed his backpack aside and pulled the closet door open. Confusion hit him for a moment, was this a closet or another whole room? He could easily fit a couple dozen dead bodies in there! At least five dozen if he stacked them.  
He surveyed the room as a whole again. Roman had said that the boys would be allowed to decorate and change the rooms however they liked. Virgil was already coming up with some plans but, for now, he shed his hoodie, dropping it on the bed and wandered over to the chest. He tugged it open and gasped in surprise. A face stared back at him. He carefully picked up the odd mask and tried it on. It was too large for him and slid down his face, leaving him unable to see. He pulled it back off and stared at it again. It was black with a crudely cut eye and mouth holes. Large nails had been pushed through the mouth space, creating an odd look, like the person had gone through a hard core death metal phase. It was an item that practically screamed “it’s just a phase”. Virgil smirked at it,  
“Sick.” He whispered as he set it aside and dived back into the chest.  
It was full of a series of odds and ends but most of it was theater related. It seemed like Roman had spent 95% of his life on stage, Virgil mused. He wasn’t too far off from the truth, honestly. High school Roman had lived for nothing else. The stage was the first place he had felt at home, felt welcome. It was also one of the places that Remus refused to join. Roman had taken to the stage with more talent than anyone would’ve thought he had. From there, he’d only flourished. He strove to be the best, to make his dreams a reality. Life was his stage and he had finally been given the opportunity to rewrite the scenes. Virgil flipped through the pieces of history. He pulled on a yellow cape, tucked the mask under his arm, and pulled out a sword. With this odd assortment, he headed off to find Logan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter sneak peak!  
Remus’ smile grew somehow creepier and wider,  
“Sliding down the banister!” He squealed, “This time we’re going to try going head first!” Logan seemed encouraged by Remus’ confidence,  
“We’re attempting to find the way of sliding down that will give us the most speed. I thought maybe going head fist would be more aerodynamic.”


	22. Learning How to Fly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr. D is trying to work with Roman, Roman is difficult to work with, Remus and the boys actually get along fairly well. Also zombie plants.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooooooooooo. Hi. Ummmm. Don't have much to say, this chapter is mostly to build up to the next big step which will make many people happy, I'm sure! Good things are coming, peeps! Just hold on a couple more chapters! Hope you enjoy!

Mr. D approached Roman’s house with the same steady tread as he always did. The same tight-lipped expression, and the same amount of makeup smeared across his features. He tapped up the steps and straightened his jacket. He pulled out a key from his breast pocket and slid it into the lock. He pulled the door open. He was greeted by the sound of two boys shouting and giggling. He turned sharply to see them go sliding down one of the hallways. They had shed their shoes and were now skating across the floor in their socks. Mr. D arched an eyebrow, feeling his fingers twitched as he itched to snatch the boys before they broke some ridiculously expensive piece of crap that Roman had left laying around. Speaking or Roman, where was the irresponsible caretaker?  
Mr. D cast his eyes around before ascending the stairs. He tucked his briefcase more firmly under one arm as he approached the massive double doors that led to Roman’s personal space. What he called his “throne room”. Ever polite, Mr. D knocked sharply and awaited a reply. When none came, he repeated the action more vigorously. When still he was not summoned, he pushed his way inside and was greeted by a familiar sight.   
Roman was laying face down on the floor, surrounded by odds and ends. Papers were scattered across the floor and various articles of clothing accompanied them. It wasn’t uncommon for Roman to crash after a creative rush. He was also known to dawn various outfits throughout his creating process. From the looks of the articles on the floor, Roman had been in the midst of writing a screenplay of some sort. Mr. D bent and retrieved one of the slips of paper to confirm his theory. A few scribbled lines of dialog that made no sense out of context seemed to be evidence enough. He flipped the paper over curiously but found no evidence of a number or any clue as to the order the papers were supposed to be placed in. This was, again, a common occurrence. Roman was often times the only person who could sort through his writings. His method consisted of dropping pages after he filled them up with his clear, neat calligraphy. Roman snored softly from his position. He looked altogether unflattering, lying in a pool of his own saliva, wearing an open tshirt with his jacket shed off to one side. Mr. D took considered the large child before him and shook his head. He wandered into the bathroom and returned with a full glass of water.  
Roman woke up spluttering. He looked around wildly, trying to piece together what had happened. When he saw the slim legs clad in well cut slacks, he let his eyes travel up to the crossed arms and then the arched eyebrows that screamed judgment. Roman allowed a sheepish grin to cross his face,  
“I’ve forgotten about an interview or something?” He asked in a high pitched voice. Mr. D allowed a small smirk to curl across his lips,  
“No, but there are quite a few people lining up to hear how parenting is going. Get up, get presentable and we’ll talk schedules.” He turned away before pausing, “And you’ll probably want to clean up the water all over the floor.” Roman watched him wander out before flopping back against the floor with a long groan.   
Mr. D almost laughed as he let Roman’s door swing shut behind him. Roman was rather like an overgrown infant. He shook his head and adjusted his gloves. The sound of scuttling feet caught his attention. Logan was hurrying up the stairs with Virgil and Remus right behind him. The three of them each sported a smile. Virgil’s was guarded, ready to slip off his face at a moment’s notice. Logan’s was genuine and excited, accompanied by small giggles. Remus looked somewhere between ecstatic and like a super villain who had just vanquished their most difficult foe. Logan and Virgil froze when they saw Mr. D’s gaze locked on them. Remus bumped into the two of them, letting out a grunt in frustration as his momentum was brought to a halt. Mr. D looked over each one carefully.  
“What are you all up to?” He tried to sound casual but he was sure he only managed to sound highly suspicious. Remus’ smile grew somehow creepier and wider,  
“Sliding down the banister!” He squealed, “This time we’re going to try going head first!” Logan seemed encouraged by Remus’ confidence,  
“We’re attempting to find the way of sliding down that will give us the most speed. I thought maybe going head fist would be more aerodynamic.” The explanation was much more scientific than Mr. D had expected. In fact, he hadn’t expected any science to be involved with whatever shenanigans Remus had gotten the boys mixed up in. Virgil looked the most wary of the situation. He shifted, trying to read Mr. D’s mood and attempting to figure out how best to get out of the situation. The man before him was looking somewhat bewildered and also like he was ready to scold them.   
In reality, Mr. D was running through a series of thoughts. Part of him wanted to reprimand the boys but he was faced with the barrier that he was not their parent or guardian. Still, the activity they were participating in was highly dangerous and could result in countless injuries. He looked from each figure carefully before settling his gaze on the only one he could safely say he was ‘in charge’ of.   
“Remus, you really ought to know better. You need to remember that these are your nephews, and, as unfortunate circumstances would put it, you are an example to them. Can’t you at least pretend to be slightly responsible?” Remus’ expression became pensive and he hummed in careful consideration.  
“Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,” The noise was steadily going higher and shriller. Mr. D clenched his teeth, knowing what the inevitable answer would be,  
“How about you go show them your mushroom garden?” Mr. D interrupted Remus with a flashing smile and clasped hands. He raised his eyebrows at Remus, hoping that, praying that, this was a good enough distraction. Remus blinked, and then jumped in the air like a child,  
“YES! Come, kiddies, let’s go see how my zombie plants are doing!!!” He cheered as he launched himself down the banister. Virgil and Logan stared after him before looking back at Mr. D. The agent kept his smile and waved his hands in their direction,   
“Run along now, children.” Virgil arched an eyebrow at the somewhat demeaning words. Logan looked at him with his ridiculously soft gaze that seemed to stab through to his soul. The world seemed to go quiet in those few seconds as Mr. D was transported back to his own childhood. He turned away sharply, “Do be careful going down the stairs.” He muttered as he strode away quickly. Logan and Virgil looked back and forth before going off to find Remus.  
Remus was in the extravagant garden that was Roman’s backyard. Roses, lilies, tulips, gardenias, and more created a gorgeous assortment of colors and aromas. Bees hummed happily and butterflies fluttered about. Logan pointed to a monarch butterfly that was fluttering about a cluster of milkweed,  
“Look, Virgil, is that Steve do you think?” Virgil followed the pointing finger and smiled. The monarch caterpillar that Logan had carefully watched over had hatched from his cocoon, dried his wings, and took flight had left them some months ago. Logan had watched the butterfly disappear in silence before smiling up at Virgil and commenting, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could fly?”   
Virgil looked down at his little brother fondly,   
“It might be, who knows?”   
“Steve would know.” Logan said in a matter of fact way. The two looked around for the rat man who they soon spotted by the mass of frizzy curly hair that resembled a bird’s nest. Remus popped his head up and grinned at them,  
“Come see my zombies, kiddies!” He squealed happily and Logan began to pick his way across the garden. Virgil followed cautiously, watching the wasps and bees warily. Remus had somehow succeeded in getting covered almost completely in dirt in the fifteen seconds he had been outside. The boys watched as Remus bent over the plants in a way that would’ve been considered lovingly if he hadn’t been rubbing his hands like he was conducting an evil experiment. Logan looked at the mushrooms that were clustered together. Virgil looked around,  
“Why are you growing mushrooms in Princey’s garden?” He asked. Remus smiled at him devilishly,  
“I’m taking over the garden!” He snickered happily and clapped his hands, “Then I’ll take over the front lawn, then the driveway, then the basement, then the rest of the house!!!” He squealed and then adopted a serious expression, “And then I will finally destroy the fountain.” The sudden change of demeanor caught the boys off guard. They exchanged glances, letting an awkward silence settle on them until Remus launched into a discussion about which of his mushrooms were poisonous and which were not.   
The sunshine beamed down on them and time soon found each person occupied with their own activities. Logan was squatting down over a shady patch of earth, poking out worms and beetles out of their homes, watching in fascination as they burrowed themselves back into the earth. Virgil had climbed up into the Florida avocado tree and was flicking ants off the branch he had perched on. Remus was army crawling through the roses, getting scrapped up and chuckling. Mr. D watched the trio from the window. Roman stood next to him with his arms crossed.   
“I haven’t slept a wink,” he confessed quietly. Mr. D looked towards him with an arched eyebrow, inviting him to continue. “They’re up almost every night. Logan suffers from nightmares and Virgil just…doesn’t sleep. It’s like he’s waiting for me to suddenly turn into some sort of monster.” He turned his brown eyes on Mr. D.   
Inside, Mr. D groaned. Roman looked completely lost, hurt, and distraught. He looked to Mr. D to do what he always did, make everything happen. He was always the one who planned, explained, sorted, and made everything work out. He could surely fix this situation! No pressure, right? Mr. D sighed and shifted his weight, looking out again at the children.   
“I did try to warn you, Ro, there’s not much I can say other than you are very much out of your league. Perhaps now is not the time to wonder what to do but rather to admit what you cannot do.” Roman looked somewhat defiant at this and Mr. D held up his hand, “More specifically, what you cannot do on your own.” Roman still looked stubborn and Mr. D realized that anything he said after this would go into one ear and out the other. It was time for him to take matters into his own capable gloved hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh! I'm posting another independent one shot! It's Logan and Patton making a cake and is purely wholesome and fluffy! If you're interested I'm calling it "Frosting for Your Frown". (I'll probably post it later today or, at latest, tomorrow.)


	23. Means Learning How to Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas is just around the corner and the boys are partaking in their first Christmas festivities! Roman is working to bond with his nephews, one at a time. Meaning that Janus gets to babysit the other. He turns out to be surprisingly okay at it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heller peeps. I'm back with a chapter that is nearly my favorite one I have written so far. I think this one's in my top four, at least. I just want to say that I enjoy writing Deceit being super confused with how he's supposed to deal with children or emotions but pretends he knows what he's doing because he doesn't want to look like he's completely lost, but he really doesn't know what he's doing.

Logan and Virgil were not looking forward to starting school again. The school system had, essentially, given up on them finishing up the school year, sending them homework, wishing them good luck and being extremely understanding as they followed court dates and moving arrangements. It wasn’t until Virgil had a major panic attack that had landed him in bed for two full days that the Strands had called enough and pulled them both out. Now, it was nearly Christmas and Roman had been talking about sending them back at the end of winter break. The stress of being in a new place on top of entering a new school where they would be behind their classmates was daunting. On top of that, Roman was ridiculously rich and could afford to send them to a posh school.  
Virgil was currently sitting on his bed, swinging his legs back and forth as he tapped away on his phone. He’d rediscovered Tumblr and was looking at all the art that his favorite posters were displaying. His room sported more than a couple of his own creations. The painted portraits were somewhat dark and, if anyone bothered to come into his room, they would’ve questioned the boy’s sanity or at least his mental state. One of them was a small figure hanging onto the edge of a cliff. Below the dangling feet was a stormy sea. With the way the picture was portrayed, the viewer could see what lay beneath the surface of the water. Not that it was a nice image to behold. The water was littered with long, jagged spikes and several chains were attached to the ocean floor. It was clear that whoever was in the picture was trying their hardest to get away from what would be a watery death. However, they were also only holding on with one hand, looking down at the water, almost as if they were wondering if it would be easier to just let go. This was Virgil’s favorite picture but also one that he kept hidden by one of the generic ‘hotel photos’ of some trees. Virgil had painted other pictures that were considered (by him) to be more G-rated. One of them was Logan’s favorite. It was a butterfly with the paint dripping down the walls in several places. The wings were a deep purple with some blue glitter scattered across them. A planet and nebula nestled near the top of one of the wings. There was a sort of galaxy theme that filled his room. The clusters of purples and blues stood out pleasantly from the crisp white walls. Posters of different bands also lined the walls. Virgil looked up as there was a knock on the door. He slid off the bed and carefully pulled the door open. Roman stood on the other side, car keys in hand.   
“Hey, Virgil!” He said, clearly nervous, Virgil tensed mentally, ready to withdraw at any second. “I’m going shopping, want to come?” Virgil blinked,  
“Huh?” Virgil had interacted with Roman directly many times, but anything longer than an exchange about the status of sleep the other had gotten was almost nonexistent. Now, Roman was biting his lower lip, trying his hardest to reach the teen. Virgil didn’t really want to go out in public but he could recognize that Roman was pushing his own comfort zone, trying to make some sort of connection. Virgil bit his lip and forced himself not to slam the door. He turned and snatched his hoodie from his bed.  
“Is Logan coming?” He asked. Roman looked carefully around before leaning close to the teen. He cupped his hand and whispered a few quick words. Virgil felt excitement and anticipation building inside him. A smile tugged at his lips and he ducked his head slightly, hiding beneath his bangs. He shot a nervous glance up at Roman but left his smirk on. “Okay.” He muttered. Roman’s face lit up brighter than the boatload of Christmas lights that were everywhere in the house. He turned and hurried down the stairs with Virgil close behind.   
Logan sat at the dinning room table, staring at Mr. D. He stared back with equal silence. He had been charged with watching Logan while Roman took Virgil out for some ‘bonding time’. Mr. D was wondering what he had gotten himself into. Remus had the day off and was doing whatever the heck “searching for the answer to life’s questions” was. Mr. D hadn’t bothered to answer this text. He figured that, if it didn’t appear on the news, then it really wasn’t serious enough for him to concern himself with. The two continued their staring match in the utmost silence. Finally, Mr. D cleared his throat and adjusted his gloves. However, the first to speak was Logan,  
“Why do you wear gloves?” Mr. D looked at the boy, hand still on the edge of his glove.  
“I don’t like touching things.” He said simply. Logan cocked his head curiously.  
“Why don’t you like touching things?” Mr. D sighed, realizing that he’d backed himself into a game of endless queries.   
“Why don’t we find something to do?” He asked, flashing a smile, “It’s almost Christmas, why don’t we make cookies or ornaments or something 'jolly' like that?” Logan looked discontent at having his question dodged but tried to appease the man. He tried to think of something to do but his mind went blank. He looked at Mr. D uncomfortably,  
“I don’t know. I’ve never really celebrated Christmas.” He shifted as Mr. D’s face went somewhat blank. He sighed and tried to take his mind off the fact that he’d also never really celebrated Christmas.  
“Well, that just won’t do.” He stated promptly, standing up and straightening his vest, “That is no way to get into the whole Christmas spirit thing.” He turned and strode out into the living room.   
It looked like Christmas had exploded in the room. The tree was more ornaments and tinsel than tree and there was even popcorn strung across it. The fireplace (gods know why Roman had a fireplace, he lived in Florida for heaven’s sake) was covered in a miniature village, complete with fluffy fake snow. Mr. D looked around desperately for something to occupy their time with. His eyes fastened on the lack of footwear hanging from the mantle,  
“Why, Roman hasn’t even put up stockings!” He exclaimed, looking at Logan with an expression that he hoped could be defined as aghast. Logan shrugged,  
“We don’t have any.” He stated simply. Mr. D sighed and shook his head,  
“Well, we’ll have to rectify that immediately.” He strode out of the room with Logan trotting to keep up,   
“What does ‘rectify’ mean?” He asked as Mr. D made his way towards Roman’s ‘arts and crafts room’.  
“To amend or fix something. Or resolve an issue if you want to stretch the definition a bit.” Mr. D supplied as he carefully pulled the doors open, making sure nothing would fall out.  
It took a bit of hunting but the two had finally selected several different kinds of fabric and Logan was happily cutting out shapes and passing them to Mr. D who ran the sewing machine with too much speed and accuracy for it to be his first time operating it. Once the basics were done, it was onto decorations! Logan was happy to use the fabric paints and stamps that Mr. D had produced for him. He even got the man to participate with some of the messy material. Logan insisted on making a stocking for Roman, Remus, Virgil, Patton, himself, and Mr. D. The man was quite shocked that Logan was willing to put in the effort to create a stocking for him. After all, he barely knew the boy. He was touched and allowed a soft smile to trace his makeup covered features. Logan also put careful thought into each stocking’s designs.  
Virgil’s was black with purple snowflakes stamped all over it. It looked very Halloween and Logan knew his big brother would love it. Patton’s was made out of an angel material and Logan had carefully traced the wings with gold glitter that made the whole stocking shimmer in the light. Roman’s was a royal red with stars scattered across it. Logan had also added a few crowns, a shout out to Virgil’s nickname for their uncle, Princey. Remus’ was a hodgepodge of different fabrics sew together. It looked like someone had decided to make a stocking themed to Frankenstein’s monster. However, Mr. D was sure that it was right up Remus’ alley. His own stocking was neat yellow silk with a black cuff along the top. Logan had placed a few white beads along the edge of the cuff that resembled pearls. Mr. D appreciated the aesthetic and nodded approvingly when Logan presented it to him. Logan’s own stocking was also simple. Mr. D had managed to find a fabric that had the words to a story from Sherlock Holmes, one of Logan’s favorite series. Logan hadn’t done much to it for fear of ruining some of the words. Mr. D had convinced him to place a white cuff around the top, however, and handed him a fabric marker,  
“Put your name there so Santa knows whose it is.” He instructed. Logan blinked at him,  
“Santa isn’t real.” He stated. Mr. D looked (again, he hoped) aghast.  
“What?” He asked, “You’ve never heard the story of St. Nicholas?!” Logan looked more confused,  
“I thought we were talking about Santa Clause?” Mr. D smiled,  
“He goes by many names, Logan.” He then launched into the tale of the young man who had lived his whole life giving selflessly to others. It was a good opportunity for the stockings to dry so Mr. D drew out the story as long as possible. As he finished it, Logan was staring at him in amazement.  
“Is all that true?” He demanded. Mr. D chuckled,  
“Some of the tales may only be legend but, yes, St. Nicholas did really exist.”  
“And he rose people from the dead?!” Logan asked. Mr. D rose his hands in a shrug,  
“That’s what people say.” Logan looked dumbfounded.  
“Wow.” He whispered before grabbing the fabric marker and imprinting the letters of his name on his stocking. He moved to Roman’s and Remus’ next, making sure the twins could tell the difference between the two. Patton’s was tricky and he ended up having to squish some of the letters together but they made it on there. Virgil’s was easier but when he got to Mr. D’s he stopped and looked up at him.  
“What’s your name?” He asked carefully, watching the man to try to read his expression. Mr. D looked somewhat hesitant. He seldom told people his first name, or any name at all. He debated just making up a name but a glance at the boy made the notion of doing that disappear without a trace. Logan had a glint of hope in his eyes. One that had not been there even an hour ago. Perhaps hearing the tale of another orphan boy who had, despite his hardships, achieved sainthood and left his mark on the world had lifted his spirits. Mr. D gently took the marker from Logan and traced his name in neat, clear penmen ship. Logan crowed close to read the letters.  
“J-A-N-U-S.” He whispered, “Janus.” He looked up at Mr. D and smiled, “Like the ancient god!” He exclaimed happily. Mr. D let out a sigh and allowed his nervousness to melt away. Logan jumped off the chair and hurried out of the room, running down the hall and sliding to a stop in front of Roman’s massive bookshelf.   
Unlike some of the other books, Roman’s book of mythology was well thumbed and held countless bookmarks. Logan gently smoothed out a dog-eared page and looked over the table of contents. He hauled the book up in his slim arms and stumbled back into the dinning room, where Mr. D was beginning to clean up. He thumped the book down on the table and pointed the two-faced god out to his sitter. Mr. D listened to Logan ramble on about the mythical deity as he continued to straighten up the room.   
Together, they hung up the stockings and Logan surveyed them proudly. However, as Logan worked to get Patton’s on the mantel, he paused.   
“Should we hang this one up?” He asked Mr. D with a crestfallen look, “The likelihood of Patton actually being here is slim, after all.” Mr. D took in the sorrowful expression and plucked the stocking from the boy’s fingers, fastening it in place with a flourish.  
“If there’s anything that you should know about Christmas, Logan, it’s that the most unlikely things often occur. Best to be prepared, isn’t it?” Logan looked doubtfully at the stocking but shrugged. He opened his mouth to comment something but the sound of the door opening caused his head to jerk in that direction.  
“Virgil!” He shouted and dashed off to find his security.  
Mr. D followed at a much slower pace. He watched as Virgil caught Logan in a hug and the two clung to each other. Logan was getting better with periods of separation but the two couldn’t be apart longer than a few hours and Logan often needed constant distraction so he didn’t notice the passage of time. Mr. D pressed his lips together hard and slipped on his gloves. With a shrug, he pulled on his jacket and placed his bowler hat on his head. He passed Roman with a nod and ruffled Logan’s hair on the way out, earning a hiss from Virgil.   
Once the door closed behind him, he let his features distort. His brows drew together and a pensive frown appeared. He climbed into his car and drove back to his office in silence. Dot was out of the office today, accompanying her husband to couple’s therapy and his little abode was oddly quiet. He busied himself with emails and phone calls until he ran out of things to do. He sighed and called it a day, returning to his car for the short drive back to his house.   
The rooms were simple and lacked in additional decoration. They would’ve been considered clean if Mr. D didn’t have a habit of leaving things where he dropped them. His shoes were by the door and countless socks were strewn about. The walls were beautiful dark wood, with carvings of leaves and scrolls all over them. A grandfather clock was near the door, right next to his hat stand. He placed his hat there and moved into the living room. A few cups rested on various surfaces and he gathered them up and moved to the kitchen. At the entrance he toed off his shoes and socks, leaving them there, and stepped onto the cool tile. He rolled up his sleeves and washed the dishes quickly, placing them next to the sink to dry. The whole house had a Victorian feel to it. The floor in most of the rooms was wood, rich in color and covered by many beautiful rugs. The rooms were dark with yellowish lights and much of the woodwork of the walls showed. Wine-red wallpaper, covered in complex designs, appeared on accent walls, giving the house a vibe that it might be used for a murder mystery movie. Mr. D made his way back into the living room and ungracefully fell on the sofa.   
The house was his by inheritance. His grandfather and he had been close, closer than he’d been with the rest of his family. As far as Mr. D’s family were concerned, they were the most entitled people on the planet and deserved only the highest of services. In fact, they behaved as if everyone on this earth that wasn’t them was placed there specifically to serve them. All except his grandfather and his mother. Although, his mother had married into the unfortunate entitled bunch. She had been the most selfless woman that Mr. D had ever encountered. However, the stress and anxiety that came with the poor excuse for a father that he had and the many entitled visits from his entitled kin and driven his mother to sickness. She would always smile and tell him that it was alright, that she would get better. At first, she did, but as soon as she was back home, still recovering, those he called ‘family’ had started accusing her of pretending for pity and wouldn’t listen to reason. She’d passed not long after and Mr. D had moved in with his grandfather, as his father had no interest in raising him.  
Mr. D let his eyes wander to the picture of his mother that he kept on the side table. She was his example of what to be and not to be. He was cold, far colder than she had been, but he wasn’t about to let people walk over him. He’d fallen long out of favor with the rest of his “family” when his grandfather had left him everything. He didn’t have a problem with that, honestly, the less he heard from them, the better. His mother’s soft nature was her greatest gift and her ultimate downfall, she had deserved a better husband and a better son. He stood stiffly and strode to the bathroom.   
Makeup products lay everywhere. Several different shades of concealer and foundation, five or six makeup sponges, half a dozen brushes, different neutral powders, and a pack of makeup wipes littered the surface. He tugged two of the wipes free and began to rub off his mask. It fell away with relative ease, revealing all his imperfections to his reflection. A pattern of marks coated the side of his face, a birth mark that his mother had always loved and he had always hated. Children had called him a freak and the only one who had caught a glimpse of it was Remus and he had been threatened and sworn to secrecy. The rat man must’ve had some semblance of compassion, because he didn’t make any comments on it or even act like it existed. Mr. D stretched the skin between his fingers, glaring at the mark before brushing his teeth and turning out the light. There was no point in being upset over his “beauty mark” as his mother had called it.   
A few minutes later had him wrapped in satin pajamas and flopping down onto his disheveled bed. He tugged the heavy weighted blanket up around his shoulders and sighed as it pressed him into the mattress. Sleep only came after he’d turned on the peaceful sound of falling rain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE NEXT CHAPTER!!!!!! THE NEXT CHAPTER, PEEPS!!!! IT'S COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   
Are you ready?


	24. While it May Seem I May Have Left You Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas Eve is finally upon the patchwork family and there are a few Prince traditions that must be followed, including pizza, opening one present, and Remus screaming "GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST" at the top of his lungs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, Peeps! I have brought to you all a chapter of fluffy chaos! Please enjoy as Remus is Remus, Roman is questioning his ability to parent, Logan being adorable, Virgil being emo, and a special appearance of single mom Mr. D. Enjoy!

Virgil finished putting the last piece of tape on his bulging package. The shopping he’d done with Roman a few weeks ago was finally all wrapped up and ready for his little brother. It was no surprise that Roman had asked Logan to go out shopping a few days later but Logan had looked so paranoid at the notion of being somewhere like the mall that Roman had changed tactics. The two had disappeared into Roman’s bedroom and, a few days later, packages arrived. Logan had been bouncing up and down as he helped Roman carry them up the stairs and into the master bedroom.   
It was these little points that made Virgil feel like, maybe, he could settle down here. Roman wasn’t exactly a ‘parent’. That much was obvious. He was more like an uncle who had never had kids of their own. Virgil paused as he realized that this was exactly what Roman was. He was giving them shelter and love in the form of stuff, but he wasn’t the person that Virgil would turn to with his problems, hopes, or thoughts. That was a web so thick and deadly that he would never dream of trapping someone within it. Especially since he was already trapped there. Nothing, he was sure, could be worse company than his mind. Roman was more concerned with being ‘nice’ and ‘friendly’ than he was with being a parent. In fact, most of the discipline he and Logan got was from Mr. D. Or, Janus, as his name apparently was. He and Roman had been intrigued by the stockings. A pang of sadness had blossomed in Virgil’s chest when he saw Patton’s name scrawled across one of them. The fatherly figure had been in contact with him over text and had been called on many a late-night anxiety attack, but Virgil had found himself feeling less and less willing to contact Patton. The man had his own life after all. Besides, if he had really wanted Virgil and Logan, he would’ve kept them, right?   
Virgil shook himself and examined his wrapping skills. Or lack thereof. There was more tap than paper, but he also didn’t have much experience in wrapping gifts. Or gifts in general. He gathered the parcels in his arms and headed downstairs. As he passed Logan’s door, he heard a thud. Concerned, he managed to push to door open and saw Logan standing in the middle of a collection of gifts. He held several in his arms but four or five additional gifts were around his feet. He looked up in embarrassment at Virgil who only smiled at him and stooped to gather some of the presents in his arms. The brothers made their way down to the living room where Mr. D and Roman were standing in the middle of the room. Mr. D had his hands squarely o his hips and Roman appeared to be pouting about something. Remus was laying under the tree, chewing on some of the popcorn and tinsel. He smiled at the two boys.  
“Hello, Kiddies!” He shouted as he wriggled himself out from his place. He bounded up from the floor. He was wearing shorts and a shirt with a simple jacket. It would’ve been an ordinary outfit if the jacket hadn’t been made out wrapping paper. The addition of several different sprigs of mistletoe in his hair also made him appear both festive and out of place. The two other men dropped whatever they were talking about and smiled at the children. Virgil and Logan placed their gifts under the tree, Logan arranging his carefully and Virgil dumping his. He shoved his hands into his hoodie pockets and stared at the others.   
“So, now what?” He asked. They had spent the whole day getting the house ready for Christmas. Hard to believe it was the next day. Mr. D slapped Remus’ hand as he tried to sneak a cookie. Logan stood next to his brother, twisting his hand in Virgil’s hoodie and pressing his nose close to the fabric. Being the youngest in the household, he knew many of the Christmas celebration was for his benefit and he hated the thought of being the center of attention. Mr. D smiled and slapped Remus’ hand again,  
“Why don’t we order pizza and watch Christmas films?” He asked, glancing at Roman, “It is a Prince tradition, after all.” Remus giggled and ran around the room screeching,  
“GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST! GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST!” Mr. D snatched his employee by the collar,  
“Can you calm down, Remus? Really, you’re worse than the children.” Remus struggled against the hold, choking himself until Mr. D let him go and he fell to the floor in a heap. Mr. D looked unamused.   
Twenty some minutes later found them all gathered on Roman’s ridiculously large couch. Logan was seated between Virgil’s legs and Roman was, for some reason, on the floor. Remus and thrown himself across Mr. D’s lap and was staring at what he called “Ghost of Christmas Past”. Mr. D was sitting with as much dignity as he could, checking his phone frequently throughout the film. Suddenly he grabbed the remote and paused the movie.   
“Why don’t you open a gift, boys?” He asked. Logan and Virgil stared at him in confusion.   
“That was sudden.” Logan noted quietly. He looked at Roman, who looked like he was processing what was just said and then jumped up happily.  
“Yes! You can each open a gift! It’s another Prince tradition on Christmas Eve!” He raced out of the room, followed by the rest of the group. Roman giggled and dug around the gifts. He pulled two out and thrust them towards the boys. Remus immediately whined,  
“No faaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiir! I want the kiddies to open MY gifts!” He pulled two grocery bags out from under the tree and climbed on Roman’s back to establish dominance. Roman immediately started twisting and turning, trying to dismount his rider. Logan hung behind Virgil as Mr. D strode forward. He gripped both oversized infants by their ears and pulled them apart. He shook them both slightly for good measure. They both broke into whimpers and cries of pain. Mr. D finally released them.  
“Well, since you two can’t act civilly, I’m going to let the boys have MY gift. Come along, children.” He took Virgil by one hand and Logan by the other and led them out. The Prince boys followed behind them. Mr. D led the group out through the house and over to the front door. He stopped there and turned back to the boys, “Your present is just outside. I assure you it wasn’t easy to get and by no means was it inexpensive. However, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and all of those festivities.” He pushed the door open with a flourish and the boys stared out into the night. The somewhat chilly air that graced Florida once in a decade hit them full in the face and the fountain out front splashed in the moonlight. However, both boys froze when they saw their gift.  
Lugging a suitcase in one hand and wearing a smile that could dazzle the stars out of their job, Patton dropped his luggage when he saw the two faces that had been haunting his dreams.  
“Virgil! Logan!” He shouted happily. The shout seemed to snap Virgil back to his senses. He tore forward, reaching Patton who caught him up in a hug. He was crying, he realized, and Patton was stroking his hair, choking back his own tears. Logan joined the hug moments later, feeling that sense of safe security as he was bundled into Patton’s protective hold. He pulled them both somehow closer and even Remus couldn’t withhold his excited screams. Patton finally drew back and looked them both over.  
“What are you doing here?” Virgil asked as he scrubbed his face with his sleeves. Patton stood, gabbing the suitcase and beginning to escort the boys back inside.  
“What do you mean, Kiddo?” Patton laughed, also wiping tears from his eyes, “I’m here to see you guys of course!” Mr. D took Patton’s suitcase and pulled the door open.   
“Not only this, however, Patton will be staying on to assist Roman in raising the two of you.” Virgil and Logan turned wide eyes on their previous landlord.  
“What?” Virgil whispered. Patton shifted,  
“Uh, I was gonna make sure that was alright with you boys, first. I know Roman has been working really hard…” Virgil was only half listening. His head was spinning and he felt like crying all over again. Logan shot back into the man’s arms and the Storm boys were hit with the sudden feeling that the universe was finally right. The readers were also thrilled that Patton and the boys were finally back together again. It was like their decision to trust the author after so much angst and that one horrible daydream scenario in chapter 10 that crushed so many hearts was finally paying off!   
Going to bed after such a reunion was out of the question. The boys would hardly leave Patton’s side, clinging to him like a pair of spider monkeys. Roman watched the whole display with a forced smile. After Patton had been shown the stockings that Logan had made, the artwork in Virgil’s bedroom, Remus’ mushrooms, and the various theater props that the boys had discovered in Roman’s collection, he settled himself on the sofa and was immediately trapped by the two children. He wrapped his arms around them as he exchanged small talk with Mr. D. Remus watched his big brother turn stiffly and mutter something about getting a drink before he vanished into the kitchen. The younger twin slunk out after him.   
Roman turned at his approach, plastering on a fake smile before he registered who it was.  
“Oh, just you.” He muttered and let his façade drop. Remus edged closer, cocking his head to one side,  
“What are you so worried about?” He demanded, climbing up on the counter with his shoes still on, “Patty Cakes is coming to help you and the kiddies, isn’t that a good thingmabob?” Roman shot his twin an annoyed glare before it dropped. He sighed and crossed his arms,  
“I know I’m not a good dad or whatever but…I want to be!” He confessed, looking earnestly at Remus, “I’m trying to be but…it’s not enough. I’m a horrible guardian. I shouldn’t need help but the more Dee talks about it, the more obvious it is that I have no idea what I’m doing. And think of what’s at stake! I could ruin their lives with a bad impression! If I mess up, the consequences could be astronomical.” Remus looked at him like his twin had decided to move into a landfill with him.  
“You do remember why they’re here, right?” He said, leaning forward and knocking several empty cups to the floor, “Those boys had a worse childhood than we did. Our parents were dismissive, theirs were abusive. They have survived hell and it takes a lot to do that. What’s more, they’re far from finishing their road to recovery. They both look at you as their savior, because you are. You got them out of the endless cycle of moving and relocating and having to deal with the crap that was their life. Roman, you aren’t their father and you never will be but they don’t want that creeper back. They want you so let that be enough.” Roman stared at his little brother in shocked silence. He turned away slightly, not wanting to meet those piercing eyes that saw far more than they let on.  
“You know they appreciate you too, right? They like seeing you and hanging out with you. Thank you for that.” He risked looking at Remus who, for that brief moment, looked somewhat normal. He offered a small smile to Roman before he sprung of the counter. He charged into Roman’s personal bubble and released a sudden scream that was utterly lacking in emotion. Roman was left blinking after the crazed man, waiting for the ringing in his ears to dissipate.  
Mr. D and Patton looked up at the sound of the scream and Logan jolted awake, whimpering slightly as Patton tucked him back against his side. Virgil sat bolt upright and hissed as the other man reentered the room. Remus hissed back. Virgil returned the gesture. This continued and Patton and Mr. D continued to discuss various matters over the cat fight.  
“So, Patton, I trust that my solutions to your reservations have all been resolved?” Mr. D grunted as Remus threw his weight back on his lap and made a show of moving around, getting comfortable. Patton nodded,  
“Yeah, I was able to get someone to help with the apartments while I stayed here. Thank you again for convincing me to come, I don’t think I would’ve ever worked up the nerve to ask.” Patton reached out and tugged gently on Virgil’s sleeve with a quiet, “Don’t hiss at him, Virgil.” Virgil relinquished the battle and nestled back into Patton, still glaring at his challenger.   
“Oh, don’t mention it, Patton,” Mr. D smiled, “believe you me, I should be the one thanking you. I really was at a loss of what to do or what to tell Roman anymore. The boy does try his hardest but there are some things that books simply don’t teach, I’m afraid. Besides, the boys take to you so well that it was obvious that, if anyone was suited for the task, it would be you.” Patton pressed a quick kiss to Virgil’s hair.  
“It just takes a little patience and a whole lotta time!” He smiled, “I’m sure Roman is doing as well as he can. Becoming a parent is usually a little easier, after all.” He smiled at the theater king who emerged from the kitchen with several glasses of wine. Mr. D took his graciously and Patton also accepted his with a quiet thanks.  
Roman swirled his own glass and watched as Remus tried to get a sip of Mr. D’s beverage. He was, of course, denied and soon discovered that no amount of begging was going to achieve him anything. He resorted to pouting, glaring at Roman in utter betrayal. Virgil was nodding off and Logan was fast asleep. Patton yawned about fifteen minutes later and gently rubbed Virgil’s arm,  
“Alright, Kiddo, time for bed.” Virgil sighed but got up anyway, still watching Patton like he might vanish any second. Roman set down his glass and strode over, carefully gathering Logan in his arms. The sleepy child woke up slightly but soon settled down in Roman’s confident hold. Remus was also dozing, snoring slightly. Mr. D sighed and shoved the man to the floor where he landed in an unceremonious heap and kept sleeping.   
Roman had insisted that Mr. D spend the night here as well and the man had agreed, given that he was allowed to have his own room and bathroom so he could conduct whatever he wished to in private. Patton had his own room as he would be remaining in the house for some time. Each bid the other goodnight and managed to find their ways into their rooms. Roman lay Logan down carefully on his bed and carefully pulled the covers up around him. He hesitated only a moment before he pressed a soft kiss to the boy’s forehead and pulled his glasses free,  
“Goodnight, my Starling.” He whispered as he backed out of the room, leaving the door open a crack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I know everyone saw Patton coming but yay! He's here!   
Seriously, though, writing Mr. D and Patton acting like a couple of mothers who are accustom to taking care of toddlers is one of my new favorite things.   
A starling, the nickname Roman gives Logan, is a bird, by the by. :)


	25. I Swear I'll Never Disappear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton, newly reunited with the boys, enjoys Christmas with them. Turns out this family does Christmas with a bit more craziness but it balances out the abundance of love passed around. Also, Remus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. Lemme just say. The comments for the last chapter!!!!! They were so funny!!! You guys are amazing. Also, pinkie2054, I hope you're alright as the last comment I got from you was how upset you were. I promise that, if you don't abandon this story, things will, inevitably, break your heart even more.   
I'm not sorry.

Christmas morning is an affair depicted in many stories but not many stories have two orphan boys who had been recently adopted by their insanely rich uncle, who had a brother who was an insane uncle, who was the employee of the most calm collected and yet somehow clueless man alive, who had hunted down a landlord to be the boys’ parental figure. So, no Christmas was ever quite like this one. It began with Remus running through the house, screeching like a banshee and flapping his arms around. Roman had put an end to this by opening his door and beginning to assault his younger brother with pillows. Logan had peered into the hallway to see what all the commotion was and had gotten stuck in the crossfire. The dazed Logan fell back on his rump and squinted at his uncles as he had yet to put on his glasses. Virgil had seen the whole thing and immediately engaged himself in the war. Patton ultimately called for a cease fire so he could go down and make breakfast. He’d taken Logan with him. The two had entered the kitchen to see Mr. D already there, sipping his coffee, dressed and pressed and ready for any formal event.   
Patton had whipped up a batch of pancakes and Logan helped adding the chocolate chips, blueberries, sprinkles, and other add-ins that Patton suggested. The other three were drawn into the kitchen by the delicious smells of Christmas morning. Mr. D prepared bacon and sausage as well as kept Remus out of the flour. Roman was scolded for taking chocolate chips and was placed in charge of scrambling eggs to make up for it. Being as extra as he was, Roman insisted on making omelets and surprised everyone when they turned out beautifully. Virgil set the table carefully and got the eggnog out of the fridge. Breakfast was delicious, as expected, and Virgil found himself eating far more than he normally would. However, after breakfast came the most fun, according to Roman: presents.  
Gifts of all shapes and sizes had found their way under the tree overnight. Virgil was given a ukulele from Roman and Logan was given his very own telescope. Roman promised that he would take him out where there weren’t so many city lights so he could see the stars better. Patton had gotten Logan a book of butterflies and caterpillars and he’d gotten Virgil a new pair of headphones. Remus had gotten them two boxes stuffed full of candy. In fact, neither were really sure how the man had gotten that much candy into the boxes, but they weren’t about to complain. Although, the rest of the adults looked somewhat appalled at the amount of sugar. Mr. D had given them crisp, clean white envelopes that each held thirty dollars, he simply stated that he had no idea what their interests were and he thought it better for them to purchase something they really wanted. Aside from these gifts, there were plenty of stocking stuffers and different card and board games for them to share. There were art supplies for both of them and a weighted blanket for Virgil. Virgil had gone shopping with Roman for a gift for Logan that he now handed to his little brother. Logan looked at him curiously before ripping the paper off. His eyes went wide at the object in his hand. It appeared to be a lava lamp, but the insides looked like a galaxy. He looked up at Virgil with his eyes shining.   
“It doubles as a night light so, you know, you don’t have to feel so alone in the dark.” Logan hugged him tightly. He drew away only long enough to grab the gift he had for Virgil. He sat nervously while Virgil ripped the paper and froze.   
It was the picture. The picture that he had written his number on so many years ago. It was in a new beautiful wooden frame and he hardly recognized the boys staring back at him. It was so long ago that they had been told by their parents to stand still and smile ‘like they meant it’. This was the picture that had brought him and Lo-lo back together. The photo that had brought this whole group of odd people to cross and mingle and become something more than just friends. With a watery smile, he tugged Logan against him,  
“It’s perfect, Lo-lo. I love it.”   
The adults also exchanged gifts, but they were far less interesting, in Logan’s opinion. Most of it was gift cards, except for the Venus Flytrap that Remus got to add to his zombie garden, courtesy of Mr. D. Patton had made Roman pasta as well, no one was sure why but he told him that it was made with love so no one bothered to question it. Remus had gotten Mr. D a gift certificate to his regular drycleaner and the agent wasn’t sure if this was a warning for some impending disaster. He slipped the certificate into his wallet for safekeeping.   
Christmas afternoon was spent making dinner (insert your ideal Christmas/holiday dinner here) and Virgil and Logan messing around with their gifts. Then it was back to relaxing on the sofa while they all gorged themselves on far too much dessert. Remus was currently dipping slices of fruit cake into his vat of figgy pudding while Mr. D looked on in disgust. Logan nibbled on his gingerbread while Virgil deconstructed a cupcake to make a frosting sandwich. Patton fell asleep while Roman and Virgil were bickering over whether or not there was an unacceptable way to each a cupcake. There never was a Christmas that could be compared to this one. A group of unlikely people coming together to form a family.


	26. Even if You Can't See Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas is over and done and back to school is here! Patton prepares the boys for their big first day, Roman tries to be helpful, Mr. D predicts the future (again), and Remus...just...I...even the author doesn't know what Remus is doing anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS FOR MENTIONS OF SETTING THE SCHOOL ON FIRE, VOMIT, UNCOMFORTABLE SCHOOL UNIFORMS, AND CUDDLES.

The days following Christmas were hectic. Patton was becoming acclimated to a new environment as well as being with the boys 24/7. This was also something to Storms had to get used to. It was weird having access to Patton all the time and they rarely strayed too far from the man, still fearing that he might vanish into thin air. Roman was being commissioned to do a lot of interviews, modeling, commercials, and other gigs that kept him coming and going with Mr. D and Remus all the time. Logan and Virgil kept to themselves mostly, trying to stay out of the way. However, as winter break came closer to a close, they knew they had to approach Patton about the one thing they were both dreading: school.   
Roman, being stupidly rich, had assigned them to a very posh school and, while he had meant well, the school buildings that Logan and Virgil would be having class in were not only separate but also in two different locations. When they had discovered this (courtesy of a quick google search by Virgil) Logan had gone white as a sheet. The very idea of having to spend nearly every day surrounded by strangers without any access to Virgil was terrifying. He was more or less comfortable around the people he lived with but thrusting him into a new environment with all the changes and new faces that came with it was just asking for disaster. Virgil himself wasn’t too crazy with the idea but he knew he could keep his head down and his mouth shut to get through most of it. His biggest concern was Logan, though, and his worry and anxiety was through the roof. However, time passed quicker than either thought was possible.   
The first day of school was just as terrifying as the boys had thought, and they hadn’t even left the house yet. Patton straightened Logan’s tie and looked his boys over. Logan gripped his bookbag with a hold tight enough to turn his fingers white. Virgil was tugging at his tie, pulling it loose for the fifth time that morning. Mr. D strode over and tightened it again.   
“Now, now, Virgil, you need to keep the uniform on. Don’t you want to look presentable for your big first day?” Virgil looked at Mr. D with an expression that could only be described as ‘done’.  
The grey slacks and sweater vest he wore looked extremely out of place on his thin frame. The white collard shirt and red tie both were too large for him and made him look much younger than what he was. Logan had a similar problem except that, in shorts, his thin pale legs were on display, much to his immense discomfort. He tugged on the edge of one of them, trying to cover more of his person. Remus threw the door open,  
“Come along, kiddies!” He called, waving a large bell in one hand. Logan jumped at the noise, ducking behind Patton and peaking out. He discovered solace in the action, finding that the safety of hiding behind his caregiver was far more desirable than attending the strange and scary environment of the educational system. Patton reached behind him to push Logan forward. The boy didn’t budge. Patton was slightly surprised,  
“Logan?” He asked carefully. The boy’s eyes were fastened on the door, where Remus had climbed and was now swinging the door back and forth. Roman was yelling at him to get down and Remus responded by screeching a parody of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” using the words “Take me out to the school yard” and ended with the school combusting into flames. Virgil filmed the whole thing while Mr. D became very interested in staring at the empty wall to his right.   
Logan’s reaction to school was not at all what Patton had expected. The boy loved learning and could hardly be convinced to leave Roman’s many books. What was bringing on this strange behavior? He squatted down to be at Logan’s level, worry creasing his brows.  
“Hey, Kiddo,” he cooed softly, “what’s what?” He smiled encouragingly as Logan met his gaze. The boy was clenching his jaw, trying hard not to burst into tears. He shook his head vigorously, staring at the ground. Patton’s worry grew, “I know this is scary, Logan, but you’ll learn lots of new things and meet lots of new friends!” He was trying to help but, evidently, it had been the wrong thing to say.   
Logan turned white and then green. He shoved his bag into Patton’s hands and clamped his own hands over his mouth. Mr. D, attentive as ever, was suddenly there with a wastepaper can. Logan heaved and then spilled the contents of his meager breakfast into the container. The noise around them ceased. Even Remus stopped behaving like a hooligan to stare at the suffering child. The retching turned into sobs as Logan’s body ran out of contents to dispel. The poor boy was dry heaving, while Patton lowered him to the floor. Virgil was hovering, worriedly, unsure how to help. Patton finally sent him to get some water. Roman looked slightly green himself and Remus was edging forward, trying to look into the can.  
When he was sure Logan wasn’t going to spill anything more, Mr. D rose and strode out of the room with the container in his hands. Remus followed him out just as Virgil returned. Patton smoothed Logan’s hair back and the boy wrapped his arms around the landlord’s neck. With whispered affections, Patton scooped the thin frame up and made his way to the living room. Virgil came after him, tugging his tie off for the sixth time that morning.   
“Logan?” Patton chastised gently, “Why didn’t you tell me you felt sick, Kiddo?”  
“Little Birdie’s scared of the evil gremlins.” Virgil and Patton both turned to see Remus sliding out from under the sofa.   
“What?” Patton asked as Remus crawled up onto the coffee table and did a headstand.  
“Logan is afraid of meeting other children.” Mr. D translated as he entered into the room. He shot a look at Remus, “Evil Gremlins? Really?” Remus spun himself slowly while remaining on his head, humming the tune of Yankee Doodle. Mr. D seated himself next to Patton, laying a cool cloth against Logan’s forehead, “I thought this would happen,” he sighed, “I already called the school to tell them that the boys won’t be there today.” Patton looked at him,  
“You thought this would happen?” Mr. D nodded, sighing again,  
“I tried to talk to Roman but he’s so full of himself,” He was cut off as Remus crashed to the floor, “I really did try, though.” Mr. D finished his thought, glancing at the chaotic twin to make sure he was still breathing.   
“Logan doesn’t like people.” Virgil muttered, “He has problems trusting them and, if I can’t be there, he’s more comfortable hiding than anything else. First day’s have always been a problem but never this bad.” He looked at his brother worriedly, tugging slightly at Logan’s sleeve. The smaller boy responded immediately, reaching out for his security. Virgil gathered him up and tucked them both into a corner of the sofa, shushing Logan slightly.   
Roman entered the room looking slightly less nauseous. He placed his hands on his hips and nudged Remus with his foot. His brother responded by grabbing onto his leg and fastening his teeth on Roman’s shoe. Roman stared at him for a moment.  
“Why?” He sighed before looking back up at the boys, “Virgil, we can still get you to school.”   
At this, Logan’s eyes widened and he looked like he might pass out. Roman seemed to realize his mistake and raised his hands quickly,  
“Never mind!” He squeaked frantically, “Virgil, you can stay here with Logan and I’ll call the school…” Mr. D raised his hand, not looking up from his phone,  
“Already did.” Roman blinked at him,  
“Alright, then. I’ll go see what I can do about lunch.” Patton shook his head,  
“I’ve already got soup that I made yesterday.” Roman looked flustered and tried to free himself from Remus’ grip,  
“Then I’ll go get ready for my interview.” He fell over as Remus opened his mouth,  
“Got cancelled, remember, Prince Under-Arms-Stink?” Roman glared at his brother.  
“What the heck?!” He finally seethed, “I’m supposed to be taking care of these boys but I’m the least important person in this house!” He threw his arms in the air. Mr. D and Patton looked shocked at the exclamation and Virgil and Logan flinched slightly. Remus pulled himself into a sitting position,  
“It took you this long to realize that?” He asked with a giggle. He scooted himself across the floor on his butt until he was in Roman’s face, “What do you think would happen if I lit your pants of fire?” Roman shoved Remus’ face with his hand.  
“Roman,” Mr. D began carefully, “you don’t think that you’re really useless, do you?”   
“Yeah,” Patton chimed in, “after all, it was you who gave the boys a home in the first place. Without you, they would still be stuck with some family they couldn’t call their own.” Roman pouted, ignoring Remus who had begun braiding his hair.  
“Still, I can’t handle them! Can’t take care of them properly! That’s why you’re here, Patton!” Patton shook his head,  
“I’m here for as long as you need me, Roman, but these boys will always be yours.” Roman looked towards the two small figures on his giant sofa. Two pairs of scared eyes peered back at him. “You’re their guardian, Roman, you get to decide what’s best for them. So, you are the most influential person in their lives.” Patton paused for breath, “You just also have to listen to them and take it slow.”   
Roman stared at the boys and the boys looked back. Suddenly, something seemed to click. He pulled away from Remus, who complained that he hadn’t secured the braids with clothespins yet and made his way to the sofa. He sat down, looking earnestly at his nephews,  
“I’m so sorry.” He whispered, “I was so focused on doing the best for you that I didn’t stop to consider what was best for you.”   
Silence reigned for a few seconds before Logan slowly unfolded from Virgil’s grasp and carefully approached Roman. He let his slim arms wrap around Roman’s neck and felt Roman’s large hands gently return the embrace,  
“It’s alright, Uncle Ro, I know you weren’t trying to hurt us.” Over Logan’s shoulder, Virgil saw Roman’s eyes go impossibly wide. It was the first time that either of them had called Roman ‘Uncle’ and he clearly was overjoyed at the title. He merely nodded at Roman, letting him know that there were no hard feelings from him either. Logan relinquished his hold and settled back against Virgil. Patton looked like he was going to explode from happiness and Mr. D was, once more, staring at the wall. Remus had somehow shoved his own fist into his mouth and was trying to get it back out. Roman sighed and counted today as a day of progress for all of them, even though it was only 9:30 AM.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a new character cooooooommmmmmmmmmiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnggggggggg.  
Because this story isn't hectic enough.


	27. In Your Heart, I Will Always Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The idea of sending the boys to school didn't quite go as planned. Roman is working to help them and makes the decision to help them get an education without the stress of being stuck in a concrete building with peer pressure, bullying, and scary visco girls. Patton steps in to help the boys make friends and spoilers for the Hobbit happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As said in the Summary, there are spoilers for the Hobbit in this chapter but it's done in such a way that I'm not sure if you guys are even gonna be able to figure out what the frick the character is talking about....good luck, I guess. Additional warnings for really bad play on words. And the murder of the English language and grammatical rules. Also Roman throwing a tantrum. I think that covers it. Possibly.

Homeschooling the boys was the ultimate decision that Roman had settled on. Patton was assisting them in some subjects while they participated in online classes in other areas. Mr. D looked into potential activities for the boys. He convinced Virgil to join a book club with Logan where they had to meet and discuss. It was the only way to get Logan to open up to other people. Virgil hated the books but he couldn’t say no to Logan’s pleading eyes. They were currently reading “The Hobbit” and Virgil had fallen asleep more than once. He wasn’t looking forward to the meeting.   
As they stepped into the building, Logan was already hiding behind his big brother. Virgil was tense and ready to fight. Old habits die hard, after all. Remus honked the horn in farewell and sped away, almost hitting several trees in the process. Virgil sighed and looked forward,  
“Hey, Babes!” A voice called to them from one of the doorways. Virgil turned to see a young man, approximately his age, staring at them over the edge of a pair of sunglasses. He was dressed in a leather jacket and chewing the end of the straw in his Starbucks drink. “You here for the meet up?” Virgil nodded,  
“Yeah.” The boy waved them over,  
“Say no more, Princesses! Follow me and let’s explore JRRT! After all,” he paused glancing back at them, “that’s the tea right now, if you know what I mean.” He snorted at his own joke and went back into the room.   
Through no fault of their own, Virgil and Logan were early. Remus had driven over the speed limit and Virgil had insisted on leaving early for fear of being there late. They had a good fifteen minutes before the meeting was supposed to start. They sat down at the classroom desks awkwardly, watching the strange boy lay himself along the top of the teacher’s desk.  
“So, whadda think of JRRT?” The boy asked lazily, sounding half asleep. Virgil shrugged,  
“I thought it was kind of boring, honestly.” The boy spluttered and sat up, tearing off his sunglasses and slipping them back on several times,  
“You did NOT just say that to me! No ma’am! Not in my classroom! NO. MA’AM.” He clapped his hands for emphasis. “Did you even read it? Did. You. Even?!” Virgil blinked in shock, what was this guy’s deal?!   
“Kind of?” He offered weakly, “I didn’t really…get it?” The boy stopped in his flailing and snatched his cup off the desk.  
“Well. We’re gonna fix that, like, right now. Like, literally right now.” He grabbed a piece of chalk and wrote THE HOBBIT in large letters across the black board. He brushed his fingers off and pointed to the words with his straw. “Lemme tell you the story of the Hobbit, Peeps.”  
(SPOILERS FOR THE HOBBIT)  
“So, you have a world that’s, like, our world but back when it was frickin epic. There’s spindly dudes called elves that, like, live for almost ever and short tough dudes called dwarves that are really underappreciated. There’s also men but no one cares about them until LOTR. Then there are, duh, hobbits.” He paused, “Oh, yeah, there are, like, wizards and magical critters and stuff too.” He continued with a flourish, “So, there’s, like, a hobbit who is just living his hobbit life and doing his hobbit stuff and being his best hobbit self and his name is Bilbo. And then a dude shows up and is like, ‘Nah-uh! You don’t just get to sit around and be a hobbit, no ma’am!’ and this dude is also a wizard and his name is Gandalf. So G-dandy is all like, ‘I invited a whole bunch of my homies over, surprise!’ and Bilbo is like, ‘OMG, I, like, don’t have enough food for all these homies!’. The homies, turns out, are a bunch of dwarves who all wanna get their gold back from this dragon who is a QUEEN by the way. Anyway, the homies are like, ‘G-dandy, you promised us another homie-home, what gives?’ and G-dandy is all like, ‘I got you, my homies, here’s the bestest of the bros on my squad: Bilbo!’ and then everyone is like ‘WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH?! NO WAY?! Bill-boy a homie-home?!’ and G-Dandy is all like ‘Yeah, my guys, Bilbo is the homiest of the homie-homes you’ll ever find.’ And Bilbo is all like ‘say what?’ but no one ever listens to him. And-”   
(END OF HOBBIT SPOILERS)   
“What?” Virgil interrupted. The boy stopped and looked at him,  
“What?” He asked, clearly confused as to why Virgil was confused. Logan, however, looked equally lost.  
“What on earth are you talking about?” The boy pouted,  
“I’m not talking about earth; I’m talking about Middle Earth.” Virgil shook his head,  
“Who the heck are you?” The boy reclined back onto the teacher’s desk,  
“The name is Remy; the title is Queen.” Logan blinked,  
“Queen of what?” He asked carefully,  
“Seasonal depression and the babes.” Remy replied without a beat of hesitation.  
Virgil and Logan were, to put it lightly, relieved when other people showed up. Logan was quiet, as expected and Virgil didn’t try to communicate with anyone. They listened in silent fascination as Remy led discussions and the group asked each other questions. Logan was writing down short thoughts and ideas about the story but shared nothing verbally. Virgil was lost for most of the conversation and let his mind wander to the songs he could be practicing on the ukulele that Roman had gotten for him. However, he was dragged back to the present whenever Remy shouted something particularly nonsensical like,  
“Bilbo Baggins?? More like Bilbo Swaggin!”  
And   
“JRRT loved him so much, he went and put a ring on him!”  
Virgil narrowed his eyes at the teen, trying to decipher the strangeness of his person. There was no way Virgil could get into that drama palace of a brain, no ma’am. Remy was a creature of mysterious and scary nature. He was frequently dropping dark jokes and slightly deprecating humor but he was so….so extra. There was no other word to describe him by to Patton later that day,  
“He looks like a guy who tried to get into a Starbucks commercial, didn’t get the job, but committed to it anyway so doesn’t want to stop pretending he’s in the commercial.” Virgil hugged his legs from where he sat on the counter, resting his chin on his knees. Patton hummed thoughtfully as he stirred the pasta on the stove. Logan was laying on the kitchen floor, writing out vocabulary words and finding them in the dictionary. Patton paused in his activity to help him pronounce a difficult word before turning back to Virgil,  
“He sounds very passionate,” he said with a smile, “are you gonna be friends?” Virgil scoffed,  
“Come on, Pat, who’d wanna be friends with me?” Logan looked at him with an arched eyebrow, “Aside from you, Logan.” Virgil amended before looking back at his caregiver, “Besides, I have Logan, I don’t need another friend.” He exchanged a smile with his little brother.   
Patton smiled at the boys but his brows creased with slight concern. His children were excelling at school, benefiting from the one on one education and the peace of mind that came from being in an environment they knew to be safe. However, the boy’s mental state was going unaddressed and was a problem that Patton felt he could no longer put off. He hummed slightly as he turned the stove off.  
“Can you boys set the table, please? I’m going to go get Roman for dinner.” He walked out without waiting for the protests or grumbles.   
He ascended the stairs and turned down the hallway, going down to the double doors that blocked Roman’s personal space from the rest of the house. He paused as he approached the room, hearing shouting coming from the other side. He rested his hand on the doorknob, wondering if he should enter or not.  
“You absolute, fiend!!” Roman screeched and then the sound of something crashing into the ground caused Patton to jump. He pushed the door open hurriedly. He ducked as a pillow was thrown in his general direction. He looked around cautiously.  
Roman stood on his bed, screeching words to high-pitched to understand, throwing pillows every which way. Mr. D sat on Roman’s desk chair, scrolling through his phone and offering occasional hums and vocal acknowledgment that he was aware of Roman’s existence. Neither noticed Patton and Roman threw an object so hard that he fell to the floor with a thud. Patton stared in concern. Mr. D lowered his phone slightly, looking like a tired single mom dealing with a toddler.  
“Roman, really, you can’t be carrying on like this.” He sighed and adjusted his hat, “Just because you saw someone pour the milk in their bowl before their cereal, it’s not the end of the universe.” Roman huffed indignantly from his place on the floor. Patton cleared his throat,  
“Dinner’s ready?” He offered, still staring at the two. Mr. D pulled out a gold pocket watch and clicked his tongue,  
“Oh, deary me,” he muttered, shaking his head, “I’m late picking up Remus from his yoga class.” He rose quickly, “Good afternoon, both of you. Roman, I trust that you will have pulled yourself together in time for the interview tomorrow morning.” He nodded to Patton before slipping out of the room, leaving the two alone.  
“Don’t ask.” Roman muttered. Patton shook his head,  
“Wasn’t planning on it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Remy is here now, Peeps! Or Homies! Or the homiest-of-the-homi-homes! Imagine that being the name of your fans in your fanbase...  
Anywho! Next chappy is destine for more chaos as two forces of ultimate "what-the-frick" meet. Here's a sneak peek!
> 
> "Remy stared at Remus, Remus stared at Remy. Roman swore the house had never been as quiet as it was right then."


	28. And While You Stay Here By My Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remy and Remus meet, Patton gets called Dad for the first time, and Logan asks a very important question.   
WARNINGS FOR JEALOUSY, BAD TABLE MANNERS (Remus), REMUS, REMY, AND REMUS AND REMY BEING IN THE SAME ROOM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. Someone take these chaotic characters away from me. I'm having too much fun.

Virgil wondered if he was too old to hide behind Logan. He was seriously considering it as they waited for Patton to come pick them up from the book-club-meet-up-thing. It wasn’t due to the empty parking lot that he wanted to hide, nor the happy twittering of birds, it wasn’t the soft sunshine of the afternoon, or the fact that Logan was humming the “100 Digits of Pi” song on repeat. Rather, it was the unblinking sunglass gaze that was being directed squarely at him. Remy hadn’t moved for a solid five minutes and that in of itself was unsettling. The fact that he couldn’t sum up the courage to call him out on it was also an issue. Remy didn’t move as Virgil glowered at him. The teen considered chucking his book at the other’s head when Patton pulled up. He honked the car horn loudly, causing Remy to snort and jump, almost as if he had been asleep. Virgil blinked as he realized that sleep was probably exactly what Remy had been doing. Patton climbed out of the car and made his way over to the three. He smiled at Remy and took Logan by the hand,  
“Hello, you must be Remy?” He asked politely, extending his hand. Remy looked at him for a moment, skimming over the blue polo and gray cardigan. He finally took Patton’s hand and shook it with as little effort as possible.   
“Yep.” He answered. He seemed significantly less boisterous around Patton. Virgil wondered for a second if the Remy he’d seen during the meeting and the Remy here in front of him were the same person. Logan hid slightly behind the landlord, playing with the edge of Patton’s cardigan. Patton looked around,  
“Where are your folks, kiddo?” Remy shorted slightly,  
“I’m going by public death transpot, my babes,” he waved his hand casually, adjusting his glasses with his other hand, “my fam is out of town for the week so I’m hitting up the tubes and chilling with my besties, Gummy Bears and the tube of ice cream in my freezer.” Patton looked confused,  
“The ‘tubes’?” He asked. Virgil sighed,  
“He’s going to take the bus home and watch YouTube while eating a bunch of snacks.” Patton nodded slightly,  
“YouTube?”   
“An internet video and livestreaming platform.” Logan supplied. Realization dawned on Patton’s face,  
“Aw! Well that’s no fun, spending time all alone like that!” Virgil looked like he would like would have a few counter arguments to that, but Patton had already planned the entire evening, “You should come with us!” Remy looked somewhat shocked, but Patton surged on, “We’re going home for dinner and there’s always room for another person!” Virgil looked slightly horrified,  
“Patton…” He hissed through gritted teeth. The kindhearted man looked confusedly at his dark child,  
“What?” Remy slipped off his glasses and snapped them closed,  
“Look, Mister,” he gained Patton’s attention, “I don’t know how to say this, but, like, I don’t know you period and IDK if you’re cool with inviting a stranger over to your place?” It came off as more of a question and Patton smiled again,  
“Aw, I think you’re a good kid! Virgil’s told me a lot about you!” Remy shot a look at Virgil who was pulling his hoodie down over his eyes, “Besides, you don’t have to come if you don’t wanna, I just thought I’d ask.” Remy stared at Patton, taking him in and blinking.  
Patton’s smile was soft and he bounced up and down in barely contained excitement. He’d seen Patton from afar and had wondered how Virgil, being an all out emo nightmare, had even been able to stand the fluffy looking man. Suddenly, it made so much sense. Patton’s eager smile was full of love and kindness but his eyes flashed intelligence. He was smarter than people gave him credit for, Remy could tell. The kind man’s eyes were taking him in, reading him, assessing him, and trying to determine what sort of kid Remy was. His concern was for the boys, trying to ensure that their company wasn’t harmful. He’d known Remy for less than five minutes and he’d already determined that he was able to trust the dramatic teen with the two persons he held dearest in the world. Remy smirked,  
“Sure, Dad, I’d love to come!” Patton’s smile dazzled. Logan looked confused and Virgil’s expression darkened. He flipped his hood up and turned a cold shoulder on all of them, storming off to the car.   
Patton watched Virgil carefully on the ride home. He was smashed in the back seat, pressed up against a corner, glaring out the window. Remy was in the passenger seat, having an animated, mostly one-sided conversation with Logan about the elves and how J.R.R. Tolkien made up their language. Virgil was quiet. More quiet than normal. Patton’s brows creased in confusion and worry as he glanced at the teen again, hoping to catch his eye, but Virgil was staring at his shoes with a murderous expression.   
As soon as they pulled into Roman’s massive driveway, Remy was climbing out the window of the car. He leaned out, staring at the massive house and the elaborate fountain, the red sports car, and the sleek black car the Mr. D was chauffeured around in by Remus. He pushed his glasses down to the tip of his nose, taking in the colors of the flowers and the beautiful stained glass window that Roman had somehow felt the need to install. Remy fell backwards to make his way out of the car and executed a perfect backwards somersault, standing up in one smooth motion.  
“YAS QUEEN.” He snapped his fingers, “Someone do a ‘rich kid check’!” He shrugged his jacket straighter and looked at Logan, “Why didn’t you tell me your Uncle was rich af!?”   
“Af?” Logan asked, shooting a look at Virgil. Patton’s eyes widened,  
“AND FANCY.” He almost shrieked, sending a toothy smile in Logan’s direction, “It means ‘and fancy’.” He pushed forward before Logan could ask any more questions. The boy watched as Virgil shrugged and moved forward, followed by Remy.  
“I’m not stupid,” he muttered, “I know what it actually means.” He trotted after the others.   
Three minutes later, Patton wasn’t aware of the chaos that was sitting in front of him. Remy stared at Remus, Remus stared at Remy. Roman swore the house had never been as quiet as it was right then. You could hear the portraits breath from their frames on the wall. Remy slowly took a loud slurp of his nearly empty iced coffee. Mr. D looked tense and unsure, he was trying to decide if he was going to have to attack or if he would run for the hills, get a new ID, and start a new life as a cactus hugger. Truthfully, a life dedicated to this career was probably less painful than the building suspense. Virgil was standing partially in front of Logan, shielding him. Remus’ eye twitched. Patton looked around with a confused smile, still unaware of the silent battle going on before him.   
The face off was almost too intense to comprehend. Remy flicked his hair slightly and Remus wiggled his nose, twitching his moustache from side to side. Neither was willing to break eye contact and Remus, at least, wasn’t blinking. Virgil really couldn’t tell what Remy was doing with his eyes as the reflective glasses prevented him from seeing the brown orbs. Roman cleared his throat,  
“Who’s this?” Despite clearing his throat, the fashionista’s voice cracked as he gestured to Remy.  
“He’s Remy, queen of the babes.” Logan supplied. Remy raised a hand up and snapped his fingers into a finger-gun directed at Logan. Roman didn’t look any less lost. Mr. D tired next,  
“Hello, new human child, I am guessing that Patton invited you and-” Mr. D was cut off as Remy returned the straw to his mouth and slurped loudly, he turned his head in Mr. D’s direction and stared at him for a few seconds,  
“Sup, snek boi.” He stated, Remus licked his lips and crouched slightly. Mr. D saw what was coming at the same time Roman did; Remus pounced.   
The prospect of having a full grown man, dressed in a lacy shirt and tie-dye pants come flying at you through the air is a terrifying one. Having said grown man actually go flying through the air in your immediate direction is an event that would fill anyone with terror. Luckily enough, Remy wasn’t just anyone. He sidestepped his attacker and watched and Remus landed, face first into the fluffy carpet. Remus didn’t move as Remy stared down at him, slurping his drink until it was finally empty. The drama queen then raised his hands to shoulder height and stepped daintily over the figure on the floor,  
“Okay, so, like, what can I do to help with din-din?” Virgil narrowed his eyes at the teen while everyone else stared in shock. He decided right then and there that he did not like Remy, queen of the babes, no ma’am.  
Virgil continued to glare at Remy whenever he thought Patton and Mr. D weren’t looking. He was, however, not as subtle as he thought he was, especially to Roman. Hiding his jealousy from a trained actor was near impossible. The agent also noticed, having worked with actors his whole life. Mr. D shot a look to Patton, raising his eyebrows in question but Patton only shrugged. He would have to talk to Virgil later. Logan was mostly focused on his dinner, subtly aware that Virgil was on edge. He looked up now, directing his attention to Remus,  
“May I have a napkin, please?” Remus looked confused as to why one would want a napkin but he handed one over anyway,  
“Here you go, Little Birdie.” He wriggled his eyebrows. Logan took the napkin and laid it on his lap. His brows drew together and he looked around the table. Currently, no one was looking at him. Patton was focused on pouring gravy over his potatoes, Roman was taking a drink, Virgil was glaring at Remy, Remy was taking pictures for his social media, Mr. D was cutting Remus’ food, and Remus was trying to stick his fingers under the knife. However, this was a question that had been weighing on his mind for a while and he needed answers.  
“Why do you call me that?” The question caused everyone to glance in Logan’s general direction, except Remus, who was collecting peas to stuff up his nose. Logan tried again, “Uncle Remus,” THAT caught the man’s attention, “why do you call me ‘Little Birdie’?” The man grinned and threw his fist of peas in the air like confetti.   
“Because you look like a baby bird.” He said, leaning across the table and getting the front of his shirt in his potatoes and gravy. Mr. D pushed him back into his seat, scolding him slightly. Logan scoffed slightly,  
“I don’t look like a baby bird.” He crossed his arms. Remus shrugged,  
“Everyone else thinks so.” He swept his arm out, almost knocking over three drinks. Logan looked around. Everyone else was suddenly very engrossed in what they were doing. He looked at Patton, who had dropped his fork and disappeared under the table. Logan turned to Virgil who was in the middle of chugging his drink.  
“Virgil?” He asked, causing Virgil to jolt and choke slightly. He coughed a couple times,  
“Yeah?” Logan narrowed his eyes,  
“Do I look like a baby bird?” Virgil cleared his throat,  
“Don’t be ridiculous, Lo, birds have feathers.” Logan arched an eyebrow and Remy spoke up.  
“Not all baby birds are hatched with feathers, you know.” He supplied unhelpfully, earning another glare from Virgil, “But it is a known fact that, between your big eyes and super innocent, story book look, you could be compared to a baby bird. I thought you looked more like a little fawn but, you know? I think a baby bird might be more appropriate. Super cute, babe.” Logan turned a challenging gaze on Virgil, who looked increasingly more uncomfortable.  
“Look, Lo, it’s not a bad thing.” Virgil pointed out, “You just…kinda…look…like that? I guess??” He looked towards Patton for support.  
“Logan,” Patton sighed, “It was something that crossed my mind when I saw you…but I didn’t think everyone else thought it too?” Roman coughed uncomfortably.  
“I also thought that but I wasn’t going to say anything.” Remus giggled,  
“I told you soooooooo!!!” He sang until Mr. D shoved a spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth. Remus smacked his lips, chewing with his mouth wide open. Mr D sighed and looked away,  
“Really, I swear I work with toddlers.” He tried his best to ignore the lack of manners coming from the younger twin and poked at his dinner. He finally sighed and met Logan’s piercing gaze, “I also think you could be compared to a baby bird, Logan. However, considering all the vial and horrible things that exist in this world, I don’t think it is something you should be offended by. In fact, I would argue quite the opposite. Babies of any kind are typically loved and fiercely protected. You should be honored to hold such a place in so many people’s hearts.”  
The words held some unspoken story of pain and suffering that Mr. D was not ready to reveal to anyone. Names and titles that would forever go unrepeated but would never be forgotten. Mr. D made an effort to smile at the small boy, hoping it didn’t look too creepy. Not that anyone could look creepy sitting next to Remus. He took note of the pensive look on Logan’s face, however, and concluded that his little rant might have impacted the boy. He sighed and went back to dinner, moving his glass before Remus could drop all of his peas into his drink. Yes, there were whispers of past voices dancing in his mind and he would be content if they stayed there. Maybe they were destroying him from the inside out, controlling his decisions on if he should wear makeup and how much but he wouldn’t acknowledge that. He was stubborn in his resolve that, not matter what, he would be content. Even if it was just an act.


	29. I Promise to Help Protect, and Guide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys are learning how to be good students under Patton and Roman's care while Remus and Mr. D are trying to get back to normal life. However, the media exploits a well guarded secret and the group must unite to offer comfort and support.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a lot of stuff going down in this chapter, lots of yelling, angst, hurt, and of course comfort and fluff.   
WARNINGS FOR MEIDA EXPLOITATION, REMUS BEING PREPARED TO KILL SOMEONE, LOTS OF INSECURITIES, REFERENCES TO PAST SELF HARM, ABUSE, AND NEGLET.

School came easily to the two boys under Patton’s direction. Logan excelled in practically everything, surprising no one when he showed promise of being able to jump a grade or two. Virgil was harder to motivate but his love of Patton helped him to begrudgingly put in actual effort. Turned out that, when he pushed himself, school came easier. Patton worked with him to help devise schedules, methods, and subjects that sparked Virgil’s interest. Roman also helped where he could, teaching Logan the importance of Shakespeare and helping Virgil create his own theater props and costumes.  
That’s where they were now, sitting on the newspaper covered kitchen floor, adding artistic touches to their masks. Patton and Logan had been convinced to join as Virgil wanted to hang the finish products on his wall. Patton’s looked like a puppy and he was humming as he painted little blue hearts all over it. Logan had become bored with the craft and was doodling mathematic formulas with a white crayon on his black mask. Virgil was the most invested, using nails, fake jewels, black and purple lace, and embroidery thread to make a unique look. He created large stitches over the mouth piece and added more above the left eye. He selected a single purple jewel to create a tear under the right eye and the lace created a cobweb look as it surrounded both eye openings. Roman’s was red and glittery and covered with lace flowers. Jewels adorned the forehead part of it, looking something like a crown. They were all seated quite comfortably when the door to the kitchen swung open and Remy strutted in like he owned the place.  
It had been several months since the book club had ended its discussion on the Hobbit and the adventures of Bill-Boy, the “Homiest of the homie-homes” but Remy had continued to make his appearances and Patton only encouraged him. Logan had decided to like the teen although he was far from trusting him and Virgil continued to be coldly polite. Patton hoped against hope that the two teens would eventually become friends. Logan, he knew, would be much more receptive of the idea of friendship if Virgil showed him that it was okay. Remy took a deep drink of his iced coffee and looked over his glasses at the small gathering. Virgil scowled and turned back to his mask. Logan waved from his seat while Patton and Roman smiled.   
“Hey, kiddo!” Patton grunted as he got to his feet. Virgil’s frown intensified, “Good to see you! How are your folks doing?” Remy sniffed,  
“They’re chill or whatever, I guess.” Remy always had a turned off approach to telling Patton about his family life, not that Virgil cared about that but he could tell that it made Patton worry.   
“Oh?” Patton asked, smile a little more forced now, “And how are you doing?” Remy returned to his normal, white girl behavior,   
“I am living the dream, Dad!” He raised his glass and Virgil felt jealousy knot in his stomach, “I just got back from my weekly ranting sesh and I feel sooo much better!” He sang out the ‘so’, drawing the vowel out and pressing his finger to the imaginary earpiece in his ear. Patton looked towards Logan for translation, Logan shrugged slightly. Roman raised his hand hesitantly,  
“Are you saying you went to therapy today?” Remy flopped down on the floor, tugging out his phone.  
“Therapy sounds so negative to me but, if we’re talking technically, then yeppies.” He slid his glasses down his nose again and began scrolling through an app.   
“So why are you here?” Virgil asked, still not looking at his self-appointed rival. Patton shot a look at him,  
“Virgil, don’t be rude, please. Remy is welcome here.” Remy didn’t seem to care, however, as he tapped on his phone,  
“I saw your latest post, Verge, looks cool.” Virgil looked up in alarm,  
“What?” He breathed. Remy didn’t look up,  
“Your latest poem. I read it, it’s deep, babe.” Patton looked at Virgil,  
“You write poetry?” Roman also looked interested. Virgil shook his bangs in front of his eyes and flipped his hood up,  
“It’s cringy.” He growled. Remy clicked his tongue,  
“I thought it was good. You literally could be the next Edgar Allen Poe.” Virgil looked ready to chuck his mask at Remy. He opened his mouth challenge the claim when the kitchen door swung open and Remus stood in the entrance, looking like an angry gorilla. The small gathering watched as the door swung closed, Remus still behind it. Roman muttered under his breath,  
“One…two…three…” As if on que, the door was flung open with a bang and Remus marched into the kitchen, heading straight to the knife block. Roman noticed his path and lunged, grabbing Remus by the legs and causing him to collapse onto the tile. The two immediately began struggling while Remus screamed,  
“LET ME GO. I MUST AVENGE HIM. SOMEONE HAS TO DIE AND I INTEND TO BE THE ONE TO DO IT.” Roman grunted and Remus kicked him in the shin. Patton stared in shock,  
“What’s wrong, Remus?” He asked, unsure what to do. Logan jumped to his feet and hid behind Virgil. They had seen Remus crazy, insane, stupid, childish, but never angry. Remus didn’t offer much of an answer, he had resorted to squealing like an angry pig, screaming “VENGANCE” and a few choice words that had Virgil covering Logan’s ears. Roman reached over his head and grabbed a piece of newspaper which he stuffed into his twin’s mouth. The screams didn’t stop by any means, but at least they were muffled. Patton turned to direct the boys out of the room when he caught sight of Remy’s expression.   
The teen was standing in slight horror, looking at Remus with wide eyes but seeming to see right through him. His phone was playing a short video on a loop and Patton moved closer, concern filling him. Remy blinked as Patton approached him and looked up at the kind man. He shook his head slightly, still pale and showed him the device. The video was of a news anchor, rambling on about a topic. Patton didn’t hear her though as his eyes alighted on the title of the article:  
‘Roman Prince’s Famous Agent Finally Unmasked’  
Before Patton could see any of the pictures below it, Roman had snatched the device away. His eyes grew wide before he turned off the phone and shoved it back into Remy’s hands. He turned and grabbed his twin by one flailing leg and began to drag him out of the kitchen,  
“We need to go find Janus right now!” The others followed without hesitation.  
Mr. D was not a man who liked to be told what to do. That was the whole reason he became an agent, to tell other people what to do. Ironically enough, as an agent, he was told by the press, peer pressure, and himself where to go, who to take with him, what to do when he got there, how to look, and how to react to certain situations.   
Not this situation, however.  
Mr. D was laying on his sofa, disheveled and dressed only in sweatpants and a bathrobe, staring at the ceiling. His phone was vibrating every three seconds from where it lay across the room. He was surprised it still worked with the amount of force he threw it against the wall. Yet, fate would have it that it continued to work and was, given his current situation, probably not even cracked. He should get up, he should get dressed, he should fix his hair, he should at the very least brush his teeth, but he didn’t. He physically could not find the strength and mentally could not find the motivation to do anything more than stare at the ceiling and listen to his phone vibrate from across the room where he had thrown it. It was still in this forlorn position that he heard the sound of Remus’ dangerous driving come screeching to a halt in his driveway. Then the sound of Remus running up to the door and throwing his body against it. The thud hardly caused Mr. D to so much as blink. However, after it happened five more times, he pulled himself to his feet and moved towards the sound. Remus had forced his way into Mr. D’s house on multiple occasions and Mr. D knew that the psychotic man was not above smashing a few windows and/or some doors and walls. He pulled the door open just in time for Remus to come rushing in and knocking over Mr. D’s hat stand. He stared at the mess with a sigh, at least the rest of his house matched the front hall now. He looked up to close the door and froze.   
Patton, Roman, Remy, Virgil, and Logan were all standing, staring at him. At his face. Just like the rest of the world. Mr. D scowled at them and slammed the door shut, locking it. He turned his gaze back onto Remus who was struggling to his feet. He shot a tired glare at him before he pushed past him and returned to his sofa and flopped down on his back. He closed his eyes, listening to Remus’ quiet, hesitant steps approaching him. There was a moment of silence before Remus poked Mr. D’s cheek. The agent frowned but otherwise didn’t move. Remus seemed to take this as an invitation and crawled onto Mr. D’s form, laying his head against his chest. Mr. D grunted and cracked his eyes open. Remus wasn’t moving and looked slightly uncomfortable but was trying to offer comfort in his own, Remus-like way. Mr. D lacked both the physical strength and the mental motivation to remove Remus from his perch and silently resigned himself to the comforting weight that was pressing against his tired limbs.   
Logan knocked on the door. Mr. D opened his eyes and sighed; he knew the likelihood of the small group just leaving was small, but he could hope. He let his eyes fall shut and tried to ignore the knocking. The lock clicked and Mr. D looked up just in time to see Remy pocket his lockpicks. Virgil was staring at the other teen with something like admiration but Roman’s eyes were fastened on his agent. Mr. D snatched the edge of his robe and covered his face. Remus whined slightly and tugged at the fabric. Mr. D wondered when he’d become a single mother to these twins as he let Remus pull the covering away. It wasn’t like it mattered anyway.  
Logan stared with fascination. The brown and pink marks on the side of Mr. D’s face were amazing to him. They looked like snake scales, he observed, and he seated himself on the floor to get a full viewing experience. Mr. D shot a look at the curious boy but made no comment. Roman let himself sit and rest his chin on the distressed man’s shoulder. No one said anything for a while, everyone torn between awkwardness and literally having no clue what to say. Patton finally broke the silence,  
“Janus?” Mr. D groaned and shot him a glare,  
“Look, Pat-ton.” He stressed the name like he had when they first met, “If you are going to comment on my face, what happened to it, why it looks the way it does, and how someone got a picture of it to post on the internet, you can keep it to yourself. If I wanted to answer those questions, I would’ve kept my phone on me.” He huffed angrily, being restricted from moving by the twins’ comforting hold. Virgil bristled.  
“Who cares?” He growled. Mr. D peered at him,  
“Pardon?”  
“I said, who cares?” Virgil stressed his volume, “I’m not here to ask questions and neither is Patton, we’re here because you might do something stupid because you’ve been exposed. It’s scary and it’s not something you should have to go through alone.” The teen dropped his gaze, “We don’t care what you think you look like or what you think we think you look like.” Mr. D raised an eyebrow.  
“You’re pretty.” Logan stated simply, drawing everyone’s attention to him. He blushed and looked down at his fingers. Remy snapped a few times, waving his other hand in Logan’s direction.  
“Shorty said it! And he’s probs the smartest of us all.” Mr. D redirected his scowl to the media obsessed teen.   
“They stocked me, somehow took a photo of me without my makeup, wrote an article on it and proceeded to put the pictures in the article which then blew up in less than three hours. My greatest insecurity was displayed for everyone to see and you expect one singular comment to fix everything?” Roman flinched slightly and Remus reached out and patted his twin’s head.  
“No, so own it.” Virgil growled. Patton looked at the teen in something like shock. Virgil was hardly ever the one to go around demanding or ordering people around. Mr. D looked equally perplexed. Remy looked ecstatic,  
“OMG YAS!” He squealed. “This is not only b-e-a-YOU -tiful, but also totally unique!” He began scrolling through his phone happily, “I’m thinking a punk style to compliment. Maybe with some spikes and definitely some sick boots because, not gonna lie, you always dress like someone’s straight up died.” Virgil shook his head.   
“No. You’re not understanding. Janus, Mr. D, freak, weirdo, and whatever else the media and a bunch of ten-year-olds with nothing better to do decide to call you doesn’t make a difference. They’re names, titles, and do nothing to reflect personality. People can say whatever they want but the fact of the matter is that, no matter what they say, it doesn’t change who you are unless you let it. So get off your sorry butt and go out there and show them!” Mr. D blinked,  
“Show them what, exactly?” Remus perked up,  
“Why, you, of course!” He pushed himself up and rested his hands on Mr. D’s chest, staring deep into the man’s soul. “After all, being yourself is the most fun you can have in the desolate wasteland that is the earth! Look at how much fun I have everyday!” Roman looked perplexed.  
“You also don’t have any friends.” He commented. Remus shot him a challenging glare.  
“Birdie is friends with me!” He claimed. Logan adjusted his glasses.  
“I’m not sure how the whole ‘friend’ thing works but, by popular definition, I would say that Remus’ statement is correct.” He shrugged and shifted uncomfortably. Remus smiled at him in his own Remus way before turning back to his employer,  
“Yeah! Anyway, we all have insecurities!” He flung an arm in the direction of Virgil. No one was sure where the plastic mannequin arm had come from and Virgil just managed to dodge it but that seemed unimportant at the moment. “Virgil gets insecure every time Remy calls Patton ‘Dad’ because his previous experiences with parents has been horrible and he has a crippling fear of rejection and abandonment!” Virgil looked like a deer caught in headlights,  
“What?” He crossed his arms and shook his bangs in front of his eyes, “N-no I don’t.” He stuttered quietly, staring at the floor. Remus went on,  
“Remy seeks some sort of stable familial life by coming over often because his own family isn’t present enough to make him feel valued and cared for.” Remy snapped his fingers,  
“Guilty as charged, Babes. Super guilty there. Like, mega-guilty.” He took another long drink of his coffee, seemingly unphased.  
“Roman is constantly trying to prove himself to everyone and everything because he feels the only way he’ll be remembered is to have a spotlight on him. Otherwise, he doesn’t believe he makes an impact that is worthy of noting.” Remus cackled as Roman’s jaw dropped and he made a few noises that had the potential of becoming words but never made it that far.   
“Okay, Remus, that’s enough now, Kiddo.” Patton was stopped as a finger directed itself to his face,  
“And Patton regularly relapses into thoughts and feelings of depression where he feels unmotivated to take care of himself and so devotes all his attention to others and improving their lives.” Patton froze and then chuckled nervously,  
“That,” he waggled one finger playfully, “that was a long time ago.” Remus blinked at him,  
“Like last Tuesday when you at all of Romeo’s chocolate fudge ice cream?” Patton chuckled nervously and tugged at his cardigan,  
“That was you?!” Roman squeaked. Patton turned to the elder twin with a guilty smile,  
“Yeah, but I got you a brand new carton!” He defended himself while Logan looked thoughtful,  
“So that’s what I heard that night.” He concluded aloud. Patton looked at the boy,  
“What were you doing awake that late?” He asked. Logan shrugged,  
“Nightmare.” Virgil tensed,  
“You had a nightmare and didn’t tell me?” He looked almost hurt. Logan sighed,  
“Virgil, you hardly get any sleep as it is, of course I wasn’t going to disturb you.” Remus giggled,  
“And Logan fears being a burden as he believes that will lead people to leaving him behind again.”   
Silence hit the room like a snow storm falling all at once. Cold and heavy and dark in a way that made you want to shiver but you couldn’t move. Like an irritating trickle of cold water down your back that you couldn’t quite reach. Everyone was suddenly aware of how vulnerable they had been made by the psychopathic lunatic that grew mushrooms and had a personal agenda to destroy fountains. The heaviness in the room was also one of sympathy and empathy. Everyone felt stuck as they were torn between giving into their own pity party and going to comfort each other. Remus seemed the only one who was unphased by the whole situation. Patton hugged himself and Logan played with his fingers, Roman bit his lip and Virgil pulled his hood low over his eyes, Remy chewed his straw and Mr. D stared at the ceiling. Time passed and, somehow, they all crept closer until they were all on huddled around the sofa. Shoulder to shoulder, Patton and Roman gathered the younglings around them. Logan squeezed between the two adults while Virgil leaned against Patton and Remy situated himself with his legs thrown over Roman’s. Mr. D reached out and let his hand brush through Roman’s hair and Roman let Patton’s fingers intertwine with his own. Remus remained a comforting weight on Mr. D’s chest, occasionally resituating himself and patting the heads of those around him. In the quiet they sat. They sat and simply held on. They held on like they had always done, only, this time, they weren’t alone.


	30. While You Worry Day by Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remy and Virgil bond a bit and start to become friends. Mr. D begins to try to see himself as Janus and everyone else is just trying to deal with the fact that Remus went deep on them in the last chapter.   
WARNINGS FOR MENTIONS OF PAST SELF HARM, MENTIONS OF PARENTS NOT BEING SUPER GREAT AT THEIR JOB?, MENTIONS OF PAST ABUSE, AND LAUGHING UNCONTROLABLY.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm here to bring to you, fluff and some angst. And also makeup play because why not? Virgil does get a tad overwhelmed with laughter here but Patton helps him out!

Virgil woke with a stiff neck and an arm that was dead asleep. After exposure therapy from Remus, no one had left Mr. D’s home, making blanket beds on the floor and falling asleep out of pure emotional exhaustion. As the teen pulled himself up, he noticed Remy’s spot on his right was empty. Further examination of the room found the other teen seated on Mr. D’s window seat that looked out onto the street. On days when the street lights went out, you could see the stars from here. At the moment, though, all Remy could look at was the yellow glow of the lights onto the street. It was just after 5 AM and he watched early morning joggers trot past the window, determination on their faces. Remy wondered what it was like to want something that much. To be motivated enough to work for it, fight for it, and learn to love it. He turned his head as Virgil approached and climbed up onto the seat opposite him. The two stared out the window in silence for a long time.   
“Hey,” Virgil finally whispered. Remy turned to him, raising an eyebrow expectantly. Virgil licked his chapped lips nervously, “thanks about the poem. You said you liked it and…that means a lot, I guess. So, yeah. Thanks.” Remy smiled a little and quiet settled back on them. A dog scurried past the window and cars began to fill the street. Their headlights shone through the window, causing Virgil to squint until they’d passed. Remy looked at the emo quizzically,  
“Why don’t you call him ‘Dad’?” He asked finally. Virgil stiffened and glanced at the other boy,  
“I dunno.” He mumbled, picking at some lint on his hoodie. Remy leaned in a little closer.  
“I wouldn’t tell, you know.” He promised earnestly. “I just thought you might like to say it to someone.” Virgil shook his head and refused to look at Remy. The coffee enthusiast sat back with a slight pout. He wanted to help Virgil, but how? He stared at the pale face before him and, quite suddenly, a lightbulb went off in his head. He quietly got to his feet and grabbed Virgil’s wrist.   
“Where are we going?” Virgil whispered as they stepped over Roman’s sleeping form, Remy pressed a finger to his lips,  
“You’ll see.” He promised before he led the anxious teen into Mr. D’s bathroom. He shut the door and turned to the vanity. Moments later, he’d pulled out a variety of Mr. D’s makeup and scattered it across the counter. Virgil stared in confusion,  
“What?” He asked, watching Remy begin to sort through the foundations and powders. The other teen looked at him,  
“What? Have you never done makeup? Your emo vibe is basically begging for it. Lemme do it?” He looked hopefully at Virgil’s hesitant expression before the boy sighed,  
“Fine. Just…nothing too crazy, alright?” Remy clapped his hands and set to work. As he was carefully applying the pale powder to Virgil’s face, the angsty teen had a moment to study the drama queen before him. Remy’s lips were pressed in concentration and he was watching his handiwork carefully. Virgil glanced away and cleared his throat,  
“Is what Remus said true?” He asked quietly, causing Remy to pause. “Do you not have a great family life or whatever?” Remy leaned back a little to study Virgil, assessing him for his trustworthiness before resuming his work.  
“My parents aren’t exactly ‘present’ in my life, yeah. They represent a big company and go all over the world for conferences. They’re hardly ever home.” He switched to Virgil’s eyebrows, “I don’t have any siblings either so, most of the time, I just chill with myself.” Virgil looked perplexed as he watched Remy compare shades of blush against his cheeks. He hopped up on the counter, back to the mirror while Remy sorted through the makeup.  
“I don’t like calling Patton ‘Dad’ because it makes everything real.” He said at last, voice breaking slightly. Remy looked at him but didn’t say anything, silently giving Virgil room to continue, “The guy who…was supposed to be responsible for Lo and I wasn’t…he wasn’t a good guy. He’s in jail now but Patton…” Virgil trailed off and Remy settled on a blush with a slightly purple tone to it.   
“You don’t want to say it because you’re scared history will repeat itself.” He supplied, pulling Virgil out of his thoughts. The two locked eyes and Virgil scoffed softly,  
“Yeah. I guess I am.” Remy smiled sadly,  
“If it really bothers you that I call him ‘Dad’ I can stop.” Virgil shook his head,  
“No, it’s fine. I’m just scared and it’s stupid because I want to call him that but…I can’t.” Remy nodded understandingly,  
“Well, I’m here if you ever want someone to practice on.” Virgil straight up giggled at that,  
“Practice on you??” He squawked, “Call you Dad?” Remy grinned,  
“Hey, I don’t have to just be a queen, you know!” Virgil shook his head as Remy examined the toners and highlights,  
“Why do you call yourself ‘queen’ anyway?” Remy smirked,  
“Why deny the truth, Babe?” He took on a more serious expression though, “Queens have power, I guess. They don’t often seem like they do because everyone is looking at the king but the queen, she’s the advocate for the people. That’s who people should be able to go to for kindness and requests. The king leads his troops into battle but the queen…I’d rather be a queen.” He smiled at Virgil before snatching up an eyeshadow pallet, “I wanna try something, it’s a little out there but its gonna look amazing. Do you trust me?” Virgil looked slightly terrified,  
“I don’t trust you anymore than I trust a baby with a fork and an open electrical outlet but I’m willing to take a risk. As long as I can wash it off if I don’t like it.” Remy smiled deviously.  
Mr. D woke to the sound of quite chatter, clatter of items against his marble counter in his bathroom, and the not so quiet giggles of children who are left to their own devices without supervision. He wriggled out from between the Prince brothers who reached out in their sleep and clung to each other like a couple of monkeys. He shook his head and crept towards the bathroom. The door was open a crack and he peered through, just in time to catch an exchange of words between the teens,  
“Why so much lipstick though, doesn’t that just rub off everywhere?” Remy flipped his hair and smacked his lips together,   
“Gurl, what is the point of wearing unnatural colors to establish dominance if you aren’t leaving obvious signs to mark your territory?”   
Remy was standing in front of the mirror, applying generous amounts of red lipstick that Mr. D didn’t recall buying while Virgil crouched on the counter, staring at his own reflection. He was pale as death with dark purple and black eyeshadow under his eyes. A light dusting of blush was put on his cheeks and over the bridge of his nose. Thin eyeliner added to the look and it was completed with soft pink lip gloss. It was obvious that the idea was to draw attention to Virgil’s eyes. Remy, on the other hand, sported a fairly mild look until the bold red lip. It was like he knew he was gonna be wearing his sunglasses anyway and thought the lips were the next best spot to have people staring. Virgil looked more relaxed and happy around the other teen than Mr. D could recall seeing him. He should be annoyed that they were messing with his makeup. He should be annoyed that they had figured out he had makeup but he couldn’t bring himself to do anything more than smile softly and turn away. He headed to the kitchen to make coffee and to prepare for the hellish day that awaited him.   
Patton blinked awake and then sat bolt upright. Familiar panic seized him as he stared at Virgil’s empty spot. Where was his boy?! Where had he run off to this time?! When would he come back?? Would he come back at all? What had he done wrong that had driven Virgil to run? What-  
Patton’s thoughts were cut short as he heard the sound of laughter come from Mr. D’s bathroom. He snatched his glasses and turned sharply. Mr. D sat on the window seat and pressed a finger to his lips, signaling Patton to be quiet. He smiled softly at Patton over the rim of his mug, pointing at the partially closed bathroom door. Patton crawled to over to the other man and sat next to him. Mr. D plucked another warm mug that was resting on the seat and handed it to Patton.   
“They’ve been at it for a while, I thought best not to disturb them.” He spoke with a sleepy gravel in his voice that Patton hadn’t heard before.   
“What’s ‘it’?” He asked with some concern laced in his voice. Mr. D took another sip of his coffee,  
“Conversing, playing, gossiping, laughing, making friends long lasting friendship that turns into some disgustingly adorable teens’ show, etc.” He supplied with a slight shrug.   
Patton took this opportunity to study Mr. D. The early morning light streamed through the window, broken up by the buildings and the sparrows that flitted by. Cars proceeded lazily along their way, creating background noises that Patton was surprised anyone could sleep through. Mr. D seemed beautifully out of place in such a setting. He matched much more the elegance of his Victorian styled home. He was somehow completely put together with his mussed-up hair and long eyelashes that hung from the drooping lids. Wrapped in his yellow silk bathrobe, slumped forward tiredly, and clutching his perfectly white mug in his long thin fingers. His face was the odd piece of the puzzle, but it somehow suited him. The light hit it now and Patton could see a pale scar that extended from the left corner of his mouth and traveled along his cheek. The rest of the marks were soft pink, like some of the birthmark Patton had on his right arm. Mr. D glanced at him from the corner of his eye. Patton looked down, blushing.  
“Sorry.” He whispered. Mr. D breathed deeply,  
“The makeup was there to keep the stares and the questions away. But no one ever apologized for curiosity before. Thank you for that.” Patton looked up sharply,  
“Oh! I don’t want you to think I was staring because I wanted you to tell me about it! I was just trying to see what you look like without the makeup.” He trailed off, playing with the rim of his mug. Mr. D shifted slightly before reaching out and tapping Patton’s knee gently,  
“And I assume you hide your own secrets beneath your own coverings.” Patton froze. His wild bedhead looked odd in comparison to the incredible sadness that crossed his face. His fingers ghosted over the old scars, hidden by the   
“I was 18 when I finally told someone. That was the first step to moving forward. I was able to get help after that…it still hurts and it’s still hard but…I know I’m gonna be okay now.” He smiled softly, “And that’s all I need for myself. I’ve got better and more beautiful things to worry about.” His eyes shown as they turned to the sleeping form of the youngest among them. He was curled up close to Roman, tucked into his side. Remus’ arm was thrown across his brother’s chest, with his large hand resting on Logan’s shoulder protectively. It was like the two had resolved to keep the youngling from all evils, despite the impossibility of the task. Mr. D followed the gaze and allowed a gentle smile to trace his lips,  
“Do you ever wonder if what you go through is a test?” He asked quietly, still watching the slumbering figures. Patton shook his head,  
“For me, I like to think of it as a gift.” He took a sip of his coffee and huffed happily, “I can help someone else get through the same thing because I know what it feels like. Sure, everyone’s case is gonna be a little different but if I can help, even a little, I wanna be able to.” He gave Mr. D that funny, half smile as the door to the bathroom was pushed open and two giggling masses stumbled out. They froze as they saw Patton and Mr. D. Virgil paled and Remy tried to look kind of scared. Mr. D merely arched an eyebrow,  
“And what have you two been up to?” He asked with a small smile. Virgil fidgeted with the sleeves of his jacket while Remy stood still. Then, quiet unexpectedly, Remy threw his head back, striking a ridiculous pose. He pushed one hand through his hair, bushing it up wildly and pouted his lips into an exaggerated duck-lip. His other hand swept around to land on the small of his back and he stuck his butt out dramatically. He gave a noise somewhere between a moan and a grunt that sent both teens into fits of laughter. Mr. D watched as Virgil tried to frantically shush Remy through his uncontrollable giggling. This caused Remy to respond in kind until they were a hopeless mess, red faced and laughing so hard there was no noise coming out of either of them. Until one of them eventually gasped for air and set them both off again.  
This loop of amusement eventually woke Logan, who stared at Virgil laughing like he was watching his brother be possessed. Virgil’s eyes were bright as he slammed a hand over his mouth. He was choking on his own laughter and he felt somewhat giddy. It was nearly too much to be bursting like this after so long without it. He didn’t know how to feel or what to think anymore. His eyes sought Patton who seemed to understand instantly. The subtle but growing panic in Virgil was evident in the boy’s face. He stood slowly and made his way over to the teen, enveloping him into a tight hug. Virgil hid against Patton, breathing shakily.   
“I’ve got you, Kiddo,” Patton muttered, “breath, Verge.” Remy sat back and dabbed at his eyes with a tissue. Roman sat up still half asleep, pulling Logan to his chest,  
“Morning, everyone.” He drawled, looking around sleepily. He dragged one hand across his face, trying to wake up. Remus’ eyes shot open, somehow he was immediately wide awake. He launched himself across the room. Mr. D only just managed to set aside his empty mug as Remus landed on him.  
“Welcome to Sesame Street!” He cheered and placed a sloppy kiss on Mr. D’s forehead. The man groaned, looking somewhat disgusted with his predicament. Roman sniffed and scratched his head, still in the process of waking up. Logan struggled slightly against the hug he was forced into but got no where as Roman’s sleepy brain didn’t seem to process nonverbal ques at that moment. He sighed and let himself relax into the hug. It seemed to be their go to therapy after all.   
Silence reigned for a few more moments, save Remus’ seemingly random exclamations and Patton’s quiet reassurances when Virgil was startled by them. Remy tapped away at his phone and Roman became awake enough to let Logan go. Mr. D finally spoke up, drawing everyone’s attention,  
“We can’t ignore what happened last night.” He stated in the simplicity that made Mr. D himself, “We’ve all known that we are hardly in prime mental condition but never has someone so, shall we say, bluntly put it.” Remus giggled at the obvious reference to him and the glare that Mr. D sent his direction. “I propose we take a fresh start moving forward. Can we all agree?”  
It was like the agent had completely forgotten that he was the one who had been moping on the sofa yesterday, contemplating the end of his career. No, he had merely needed time to recognize and register that his life was taking a drastic turn. It was not something he could control, nor was it something that he could blame anyone for. He had plans on how to make a certain reporter’s life a living hell later but that wasn’t important. He looked around at his small company, watching as they thought over his words. Patton shifted and then straightened, still rubbing Virgil’s arm gently,  
“Well, then, I’m Patton and I love kids,” here he tapped Virgil’s nose, making him smirk, “cookies, dogs, and my friends Roman, Remus, and Janus.” Here he paused and took a breath, “I also know what it’s like to feel like you can’t go on. I also have the honor of being living proof that you can keep going and, if you do, you get to do things, see things, and feel things you wouldn’t have otherwise.” He smiled and squeezed Virgil tighter, pressing a kiss to the mop of purple hair. Roman cleared his throat,  
“I’m Roman,” he halted, clearly not having thought much further, “I, um, like acting? And you guys too, even though you’re not as cool as me and I really don’t think that you get me most of the time or accept my contributions.” He rushed through the last part, clearly uncomfortable with the exercise. Everyone blinked at him. “What?” He asked softly, looking to Mr. D for saving. The agent sighed,  
“I’m Janus, as you all know, and I was born with a few…conditions that led to my appearance. I’m not proud of it but, it is what it is and I’m going to just have to learn to live with it. I also have difficulty connecting with people because my family was less than accepting.” He nudged Remus who was trying to lick his nose with his own tongue. He groaned like a teen who is forced to participate in anything,  
“My name is Remus and I’m lactose intolerant.” Roman looked confused,  
“No, you’re not?” He said hesitantly, shooting a look at Mr. D,  
“Yes, he is, next?” Honestly, that was probably one of the most PG statements Remus could make, and Mr. D was ready to move on. Logan and Virgil exchanged glances,  
“I’m Remy,” the teen looked up from his phone, “my fam squad isn’t the closest Brady Bunch on the block. I love coffee and social media is my jam.” Logan and Virgil sat in silence. Mr. D sighed,  
“At least introduce yourselves.”  
“I’m Logan…I like books and space.” Logan bit his lip and played with the hem of Roman’s shirt, “I don’t like deep water or the ocean.” The words were barely audible and Roman looked down at the small boy with a perplexed expression. Virgil whispered something to Patton who smiled and turned to the rest of them,  
“He says his name is Virgil and he’s pretty sure he has social anxiety and group settings like this make him uncomfortable.” Roman nodded,  
“That’s fair.” He conceded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Start the countdown....


	31. I Will Be There Every Step of the Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan is scared that Virgil will leave him now that Remy has secured friendship with the angsty teen. He also surprises Janus and Patton with some new information.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Logan is adorable. That is the plot of this whole story. This is just to emphasize that plot.

Life wasn’t amazing but it also wasn’t awful. Logan had considerable difficulty transitioning his thinking to match what the man was asking. In fact, everyone but Patton seemed to be having issues with it. It was like having suddenly learned that the color you’ve called “blue” your whole life is suddenly being renamed to “serendipity”. Maybe not quite that difficult. But still! After calling Mr. D, ‘Mr. D’ so often, switching to ‘Janus’ was a mighty task to undertake. However, Janus, as he now wished to be called by these select few, had embraced quite a bit of change over the past several weeks and Logan supposed it was the least they could do for him. The agent sat now, flipping through a magazine, analyzing the work an article had done on interviewing Roman. He was a god in this area, a mastermind at work, reading between the lines, determining whether the relationship developed in this article was one that would help or hinder the fashionista/actor/drama queen extraordinaire. He looked up every now and again to locate Remus and the rest of his group. Patton sat next to him on the wooden park bench, watching people walk their dogs and waving at the little kids who wandered by. They were at the playground for a photoshoot for Roman, the trees and far too green grass made an ideal backdrop. Mr. D had suggested they all go as a bit of fresh air was healthy every once in a while. Even Remy had tagged along. Janus looked up as Patton called out,  
“Virgil! Don’t climb the fence, please!” The emo teen pouted from his perch atop the metal fence but reluctantly dropped to the ground, wandering aimlessly towards the empty swings. Remy rolled by lazily on his longboard. He had no interests in doing tricks or even going exceptionally fast. He sipped his iced coffee and adjusted his glasses to peer at Virgil.   
Patton busied himself looking for the younger Storm, not surprised that he wasn’t on the playground equipment. He twisted around, scanning the greenery and frowning when Logan didn’t immediately appear. He stood to get a better view and just caught a glimpse of a familiar head of hair. Right next to the (probably) alligator infested body of water. Alarm filled him as he hurried towards the boy.   
“Logan!” He called once he was closer. The boy jumped, turning sharply to Patton. He had been standing a few feet away from the water, just looking at it. Patton waved a hand, “Come away from the water, Kiddo, there’s probably snakes and alligators. I don’t want you to get hurt.” Logan cast one more look at the water before making his way to Patton.   
The two of them made their way back to the bench. Janus was watching Rems attempting to feed the squirrels and bids. The rat man didn’t quite seem to grasp the concept of offering peanuts to the little critters and was pelting them, full force, at his unsuspecting victims. He looked back now at Janus, smiling like a proud toddler. Janus sighed and flipped another page of his magazine, subtly glancing around for anyone who might be trying to call the police. Logan seated himself between the two adults, watching as Virgil pushed Remy on the swing. He was, by the looks of things, trying to see how high he could make the screeching teen go. Remy looked properly terrified and Remus looked interested which was a whole new reason for terror. Logan settled quietly, resting his head on Patton’s shoulder,  
“You okay, Kiddo?” Patton asked. Janus looked up from his reading and pressed a hand to the boy’s forehead.   
“Have you been drinking water, Logan? You look quite flushed. Then again, we do live in Florida.” He produced a water bottle and the boy drank obediently. He didn’t say anything and Mr. D exchanged a look with Patton.   
“Logan?” Patton tried again.  
“Is Virgil going to leave me now that he has Remy?” The question was soft, the tone was slightly choked and Logan was pointedly staring at the ground. Patton’s eyes widened,  
“What?!” He gasped, “Of course not! Logan, Virgil might have Remy as a friend now but he’d never trade you for anything.” Janus nodded,  
“Remy is an addition, not a replacement, Logan. Virgil is merely adding to his circle of friends.” He shot a sideways glance at the boy, “He’s not leaving, you did nothing wrong, and he will never give you up.”   
“Or let you down.” Patton supplied. Janus looked at him,  
“What?”  
“Never gonna run around and desert you!” Patton sang, Logan cracked a small smile at this. He turned and watched as Remus played a game of ‘how close can I get to Remy’s flailing legs without getting hit’. Patton wrapped an arm around his shoulders,  
“You wanna go play, Kiddo?” Logan hesitated before nodding. He rose and began to make his way over before pausing and looking back,  
“Thanks for the best birthday ever.” He smiled and ran off. Janus and Patton froze and looked at each other.  
“What?” They asked in unison before Patton rose, reaching over and grabbing Janus, pulling him off to the side.  
“Did you know it was his birthday?!” He whispered with horror written across his face. Mr. D shrugged,  
“He didn’t tell me. I assumed that, if he was to tell anyone, it would be you. Or Virgil.” Patton wasn’t listening, though, he was pacing, trying to think up a million ways to save the birthday he had just heard of.   
Roman approached just then, either the perfect or the worst time to approach. Patton seized him by the shoulders and shook him slightly,  
“It’s Logan’s birthday and we didn’t know so we don’t have anything prepared!!!” He looked desperate. Roman blinked a few times, trying to decipher the situation. Suddenly, a light went on behind his eyes and he grabbed Patton with one hand and grabbed Janus with the other.  
“No need to fret, Patton dear, your Prince in shinning armor is here! I’ve got the perfect emergency birthday plan! Just leave the driving and talking to me! Get the kids in the car, we’re going partying! Logan style, of course.”  
It was quite remarkable how much Roman had grown over the past few weeks. He was so much more aware and in tune with the boys. He listened to them and took interest in what they liked, disliked, and who they were. They didn’t talk much about their past but Roman was willing to wait until they were ready to open up. Now, he put that knowledge to the test. First things first, a museum!   
The Ringling museum of art and the circus was something that could’ve captivated Logan for hours. He stood, staring at the miniature displays and the paintings with fascination. Virgil quietly discussed the history of the paintings with Janus. Remy chewed mint gum and listened to Patton point things out. Roman kept Remus from touching or breaking anything. After the museum, Roman took them all back home and ordered pizza. He and Logan went to the store to pick up ice cream while Janus and Patton rolled up their sleeves and set to work on a cake. Patton was set on using the crofters jam that Logan loved. Janus mixed the chocolate frosting as Patton assembled the layers. When Roman and Logan returned, they had more than just ice cream. Roman had taken Logan to pick out new books and some gift cards for different places. Logan’s eyes shone as he watched everything going on around him. He by no means enjoyed being the center of attention but seeing the way that his family loved him and wanted to show that love was incredibly moving. Remus came up behind him now and pulled him into an aggressive hug. Logan couldn’t move and wouldn’t be able to until Remus felt like releasing him but it felt good to belong somewhere.   
Janus leaned against the counter, watching Patton put the finishing touches on the cake. He licked the frosting off his fingers before getting to work on the dishes. He moved like clockwork, finished with everything by the time the pizza arrived. They assembled themselves into the living room and assumed the familiar positions. Roman and Remus close to Janus, who cut Remus’ food before he could kill himself with a cheese pull. Virgil and Remy ended up together and Virgil stayed close to Patton. Logan settled in the middle of it all, smiling as Big Hero 6 began to play. It was the first real birthday he’d ever had. He snuggled down in the safety around him and felt himself relax. Dinner was soon gone and Patton was handing out dessert. Logan pushed close to him once he’d settled back down.  
“Thanks, Dad.” He whispered, “Thanks for everything.”   
Patton stared at the growing boy and felt his heart leap. Unable to stop himself, he threw and arm around Logan’s shoulders and squeezed him tight,   
“Anything for you, Kiddo. I love you.” Logan smiled shyly,  
“I love you too, Dad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The countdown continues.....


	32. But As You Reach the Edge of the Nest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil goes outside his comfort zone to spend some time away from home. However, there's only so far a comfort zone can be pushed in a day.   
WARNINGS FOR PANIC ATTACK AND FEELING LIKE A FAILURE. ADDITIONAL WARNINGS FOR ROMAN AND JANUS DANCING, LOGAN BEING ADORABLE, AND PATTON BEING AN ANIMAL KING.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I appreciate the patience for me getting this next chapter out. Grocery stores at Thanksgiving are the worst. Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving and I wanna take this opportunity to give a huge thank you to all of you who have read this story and stuck with it through my up and downs. It means the world to me when I get comments on this and they honestly have pushed me to be a better writer. I love you all and hope that the world is treating you right.   
Stay safe!

Virgil followed Remy inside slowly, hood up and eyes darting to every surface he saw. Remy’s house was new territory and, while he was getting better, new and unknown circumstances were still events to put his guard up. He stiffened as Remy kicked off his shoes and tossed them across the room.  
“Yeet.” The drama teen muttered unenthusiastically as the white and black converse slammed into the wall. Virgil flinched at the noise and then watched Remy drop onto the large sofa in the middle of the room. His house wasn’t massive, but it wasn’t small either. It looked like he and his family lived comfortably and stuck to a very basic color design of blue and grey that went pleasantly with the white walls. Virgil looked around and breathed, trying to relax. Remy wiggled his toes, showing off his taco themed socks before pulling himself to his feet.  
Getting Virgil to willingly enter a new environment without dragging Logan along was a huge step for everyone in the Prince/Storm/Sanders/Janus family. Not that Virgil wasn’t regretting it with every ounce of his being, but he was trying. Remy made his way to a hallway and turned back to Virgil,  
“I wanna show you something,” he smiled, “you need to be introduced to my righthand ma’am.” Virgil immediately tensed,  
“There’s someone else here?!” He hissed. Remy smirked but didn’t answer, disappearing down the hallway. Virgil’s curiosity was in an intense battle with his crippling anxiety when Remy reappeared.   
He was cradling something small in his arms and walking without his usual bounce and swag. A tiny nose twitched and a bright eye peered out at Virgil, looking weary of his surroundings. Remy smirked at Virgil, opening his arms slightly to show off his prize,  
“This is Gummy Bear, she’s my righthand ma’am and a queen.” Virgil crept closer to look at the small animal.   
A guinea pig stared at him. She was completely black save the white spot around her left eye. A pink collar with a bedazzled bow was around her neck and her pink nose wriggled and she nuzzled into Remy’s sleeve, looking for treats. Virgil stared, unintentionally holding his breath, watching the little critter move. He looked up at Remy, who was smiling down at his pet like she was his world.   
“Wow.” Virgil whispered, still staring.  
“Wanna pet her?” Remy asked. Virgil looked at him in awe,  
“Can I?” Remy chuckled,  
“Sure can, Sugar! She doesn’t bite unless you hurt her. Just be nice and she’ll return the favor.” Virgil reached out carefully and brushed one of his fingers along the soft fur. It was like silk beneath his fingers. The head turned and Gummy Bear stared, trying to see who was touching her before loosing interest. Virgil let out a nervous giggle and shot a look at Remy.   
“Wow.” He said again. Remy smiled and led them to the sofa. He let Gummy Bear down to explore and Virgil settled down a little further away. “Where’d you get her?”  
“She was a gift from my parents.” Remy answered, “So I wouldn’t get lonely or whatever while they’re away.”   
“Oh,” Virgil whispered, “Did it work?”  
“Nah.” Remy shrugged, “You get tired of talking to something that can’t answer. Eventually, I started going to therapy and I guess that helps. Sometimes you feel like its pointless cuz you think you’re moving forward and then you gotta backtrack and revisit the old stuff that resurfaces.” Virgil shuddered,  
“Sounds awful.” Remy shot him a sideways look,  
“Meh. If it helps in the end, that’s all that matters, to me. I’m not looking for a quick-fix, I’m looking for a transfer of power.” He tapped his head, “This brain deserves a crown and I wanna be sure its in the best shape to wear it!” Virgil huffed in amusement,  
“You’re one of the weirdest people I know.” Remy snapped his hand into a finger gun,  
“Right back at you, babe. Now, let’s order pizza and start some mind-numbing show until we get bored and start talking about crazy shenanigans that have happened to us.” Virgil laughed,  
“Sounds cool.”   
Movie marathons are always a good idea, especially when the movie marathon has no rhyme, reason, or intended order. They watched whatever met their fancy which turned into a weird combination of sci-fi, mystery, action, horror, Disney, and the occasional YouTube video. Pizza arrived and they hung out on the sofa, continuing their movie watching and throwing in commentary here and there. Gummy Bear found her way into Virgil’s hoodie pocket, nearly giving him a heart attack. She, however, found the dark soft hole perfect and soon fell asleep. Remy snapped a few pictures, laughing at Virgil’s poorly contained panic.   
“Just don’t move and you’ll be fine.” Remy laughed, waving a hand dismissively, “Even if you did move, she’d just move her little butt somewhere else, you’re chill.”  
“Move?!” Virgil gasped, “I’m scared to breath right now!” But his eyes were bright as they stared at the little lady. It baffled and amazed him that she had decided to take up lodging on his lap of all places. He certainly wouldn’t have selected himself as trustworthy perch but this animal, this stupid little rodent had found him to be a safe place to rest. He was so happy he could cry.  
All too soon, Patton came to pick him up. Spending the night away from Logan and the safety of his own room was still something Virgil couldn’t bring himself to do. Not that Patton had a problem with Virgil being at home. He liked to be close by so he could help if anything happened overnight. It wasn’t uncommon for the boys to come into his room on difficult nights. They liked to be close to Patton and he was more than willing to offer hugs and whispered reassurances. Now, as he pulled into Remy’s driveway, he was struck with sadness at how empty it was. Remy was Virgil’s age and in desperate need of parental love, support, and supervision. He did what he could for the boy but he hoped that they would soon realize the wonderful son they had waiting for them at home. As he walked up the front steps and up to the door. He knocked and bounced back and forth on his heels. Remy pulled the door open and smiled,  
“Hey, Dad!” He stepped aside, “Come on in, Virgil wants to show you how he’s bonded!” Patton blinked and moved into the room. He spotted Virgil sitting on the sofa. He waved shyly at Patton and the man walked over.   
“Hey, Pat.” He smiled and looked down at the pet in his arms. Patton clapped a hand over his mouth to keep from screaming,  
“Who is this?!?” He squealed, “She is the most adorable little friend I have ever seen!” Virgil laughed quietly,  
“Her name’s Gummy Bear and she’s so soft. Patton, you wouldn’t believe how soft she is. It should be illegal for things to be this soft. Seriously. Pet her!” Patton didn’t need a second invitation. He was soon crouched next to the bundle of fur and became a cooing mass of animal love. He had become best friends with Gummy Bear in a matter of seconds. Remy was almost worried he was going to loose his pet. However, he had nothing to fear as Patton soon stated that it was getting dark and he and Virgil should get home. Extended goodbyes were offered before they headed out.   
Arriving home brought an excited Logan running to the door. While Virgil was improving, Logan was coming along at a slower pace. He still had fears of being forgotten or left behind, regardless of the countless reassurances and promises he’d been given. Virgil caught him in a hug,  
“Hey, Lo, what did you do all day?” Logan smiled,  
“Uncle Remus and I used the microscope to look at stuff and then he taught me how to burn leaves with a magnifying glass.” Janus walked out from the living room, sleeves rolled up above his elbows, face clear of makeup, drying his hands on a towel.   
“I didn’t know about it until after.” He sighed, “Rest assured, if I had known, I would’ve stopped it. We were lucky enough that Roman found them before Remus set something important on fire.”  
“Yeah!” Came Remus’ whine, “Way to ruin all the fun!” He poked his head out from a closet and threw an empty shoe box at Janus. It hit him square in the face. The agent blinked and glared at his employee. Roman emerged from the kitchen, brandishing a newly cleaned wooden spoon and singing something from Hamilton at the top of his lungs. Janus sighed,  
“Thank heaven we live in an isolated area. If we had neighbors any closer I’m sure you’d all be arrested for disturbing the peace.” Logan looked at the agent,  
“You’d be there with us.” Janus smiled,  
“Oh, no.” He straightened his vest, “To be arrested, you have to be caught, Logan. Don’t underestimate me.”   
Virgil smiled at the exchange, it was familiar and warm, like a favorite blanket. He ruffled his hair and smirked as Remus engaged himself in a thumb war. Patton smiled as Roman dragged Janus around the room. The agent stumbled along with the Prince who was having the time of his life. Logan scuttled out of the way, only to be caught by Remus into some wild jig where he was jerked around like a puppet on tangled strings. The room was filled with Logan’s laughter until Patton was scared the boy wouldn’t be able to breath. Roman continued to belt out different songs, making up lyrics when he forgot the words and even Janus was smiling. He suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Roman, pulling him closer and sweeping him into an elegant ballroom dance. Roman was stunned into silence but followed easily. The sound of Janus’ shiny black shoes against the floor were accompanied by the quiet pattering of Roman’s fluffy socks. Janus seemed pleased with Roman’s quick adaption to the steps and rewarded him with all sorts of twirls and dips. Roman was enjoying himself immensely. The scene continued until Remus decided that he’d had enough and latched himself to Janus’ leg and whined about not getting enough attention. Janus, of course, fell over onto Roman who was pushed to the floor. The older Prince squeaked in annoyance and the boys laughed outright. Patton shook his head and sighed,  
“Alright, kiddos, time to get ready for bed.” Remus whined from his position on the floor,  
“I don’t wanna!” Janus sighed and craned his neck to see the pouting man,  
“What about your brand-new pajamas, though? You want to show everyone the cool pattern on them, don’t you?” Remus groaned dramatically,  
“Do I have to do the ritual??” He asked, looking at Janus imploringly. The agent raised an eyebrow,  
“You can shower tonight or tomorrow morning. I’ll let you pick if you want to delay the inevitable or not.” Remus dragged himself across the floor, complaining the whole way.   
Logan and Virgil wandered upstairs together, leaving the adults to deal with Remus. They moved slowly, Logan intertwined his fingers into Virgil’s and the elder brother smiled down at him. Logan kept close, soaking up Virgil’s warmth. They parted to change and rejoined in the bathroom to brush their teeth. Once finished, Virgil took Logan’s hand and led them both back downstairs.   
Janus and Remus were nowhere to be seen but there was a lot of screeching coming from down the hall and the sound of running water. Remus must be taking a shower. Patton and Roman were sitting in the living room, each cupping a warm mug of tea and talking softly amongst themselves. They smiled at the boys and welcomed them onto the sofa. Logan curled close to Virgil and listened to his brother tell Roman all about his day with Remy. Roman laughed at the stories of Gummy Bear and suggested Remy bring her over sometime so they could all meet her. Janus came out with Remus strutting behind him. He wore bright green pajamas that were covered in a garbage truck pattern. Where Janus had found such clothing was beyond them all but Remus looked extremely pleased and appreciative of all the trouble the agent had gone through. Janus flopped tiredly down onto the sofa and Remus made himself comfortable on his lap. Logan listened to them all talk about different subjects, feeling his eyelids drooping.   
Virgil looked down as a weight settled against him. Logan’s glasses were askew on his face and his mouth was partially open. The dark lashes rested against the pale cheeks and the line of worry that always hung around Logan’s forehead smoothed out. He looked peaceful, Virgil thought sadly. He wondered if Logan would ever fully be happy outside of his good dreams. Virgil just couldn’t fix whatever was wrong with himself, let alone try to fathom ways to help Logan. He pressed a quick kiss into Logan’s hair and rested his cheek there, feeling Logan’s solid form. There were times Virgil woke and he could swear he was back in the alley where Patton found him, Loganless and terrified. He shuddered slightly at the thought and immediately felt a hand on his shoulder. Patton was watching him with concern,  
“You okay, hun?” Virgil smiled at the question,  
“Yeah, just…just thinking.” He tried to sound convincing, knowing full well he was failing spectacularly. Patton didn’t pry but kept his hand on Virgil’s shoulder.   
It wasn’t long until he and Patton were escorting a sleepy Logan to bed. Virgil watched as Patton smoothed down the sheets and kissed Logan’s forehead just one more time. He leaned against the frame and watched as Logan snuggled down into the pillow and clutched the blanket to his chest. He was adorable. That boy was gonna break so many hearts one day, Virgil was sure of it. Patton moved away, turning on Logan’s galaxy lamp and closing the door halfway. He smiled at Virgil and yawned, rubbing his eyes under his glasses,  
“Well, goodnight, Kiddo.” He pulled Virgil in for a hug but paused when Virgil stiffened. “Something wrong?” He asked. Virgil drew away,  
“No.” He snapped nervously, “Not at all. I’m just…gonna go to bed.” Patton looked worried,  
“Okay…” He paused, “Goodnight, Virgil.” He turned and began to walk down the hall. Virgil hesitated,  
“Wait! Patton!” He called. The man turned, looking more concerned now. Virgil hugged himself and took a deep breath as Patton took a slow step forward,  
“What’s going on, Virgil?” He asked softly. Virgil’s eyes darted to Patton and then around the room. He bit his lip hard and felt it split between his teeth. Patton was getting closer and Virgil wasn’t sure he could do this but he was gonna try.  
“Ummm…” He sucked on the cut on his lip, “I just…I wanted…I…” Patton placed comforting hands on Virgil’s arms,  
“I’m here, Virgil.” He whispered. Virgil shivered slightly,  
“I-I….I wanted….to, ummm….uhhh…” He wanted to cry at this point. This shouldn’t be this hard! “I…” He looked at Patton. The man could see the distress on Virgil’s face as well as the spark of determination behind his eyes. Whatever was bothering him, he was trying to push past it. Patton rubbed his arms in encouragement.  
“Yeah…?” Virgil ducked his head.  
“G-goodnight…d-…” Patton’s eyes widened slightly as Virgil struggled, “D-…ad.” Virgil turned and bolted, leaving Patton standing in the hallway alone with the biggest smile on his face.  
Virgil shut the door of his room and slid to the floor. He brought his shaking hands up to his face and tried to breath. He’d just! He couldn’t believe that he had! What was he thinking?! His shoulder’s shook slightly as he tried and failed to keep tears at bay. Why was this such a big deal?! It was one stupid word and he couldn’t even say the whole thing! He rolled onto the floor, curling into a ball. He didn’t hear the soft knock or notice the door opening. Gentle hands touched his hair and he jolted back. Janus looked down at him with a soft expression on his face,  
“Hush, Virgil, you’re okay. It’s just me.” The agent’s eyebrow’s furrowed and he cupped Virgil’s chin, swiping his thumb under Virgil’s lip. “You’re bleeding.” He noted. “Patton sent me, something about him being here might be a tad overwhelming for you.” He sat down next to Virgil and placed his hand back in the purple mop of hair. He walked Virgil through some breathing exercises.   
Virgil had never been hugged by Janus and he certainly hadn’t expected it to happen that evening. However, as he shakily made his way to his feet, the man pulled him in, tucking him securely under his chin. Virgil sucked in a shaky breath and tried not to cry again.  
“Will I ever be fixed?” He whispered in a broken tone. Janus breathed deeply and tugged the teen closer,  
“I don’t believe anyone is ever fixed, Virgil, but I also believe that no one is ever broken. We are all different, yes, but not necessarily broken.” He stroked Virgil’s hair and looked up at the silent figures in the doorway. Patton stared at his shoes while Roman looked sorrowfully at the teen before tugging Patton away. Janus put Virgil to bed and smoothed his hair, “All will be well, Virgil, don’t give up on us yet.”   
He slipped out of the room and looked back once to see the tear-stained face looking back at him. All because Virgil had tried to be normal. He wanted the boy to feel normal and safe and loved! How could he help him though? With a sigh and the weight on his shoulders feeling ever heavier, Janus tread down the hall in deep thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not long now, my Peeps....


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter consists of Roman becoming a dad, Logan being concerned, and Remus doing cruchy time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finals. Finals are brutal, customers are cruel and I've cried more in the past three days than I have in a long time.

Roman wanted this. He needed to want this. That was the only way to make sure this happened, right? He paced the length of his room before turning abruptly and moving the other direction. The mirror in the corner showed him how pensive his expression was. He pouted at himself, trying to justify himself and his cause. There was a knock at his door and he turned quickly, his silk bathrobe swinging out behind him like a makeshift superhero cape. He pulled the doors open to reveal a tired looking Janus and a slightly confused Patton.  
“Roman, you realize that you didn’t have to send us texts at 3 AM this morning to meet you in your room at noon, right? I live here and Janus was coming over anyway…” He trailed off as Roman raised a hand for silence. He took a deep breath before halting and then tugging them both inside.  
“I’ve been thinking,” He began,  
“A dangerous pastime.” Janus drawled, looking tired. Roman shot him a glare,  
“I’ve been thinking,” he repeated, “The boys have gotten better. Significantly! Don’t get me wrong, I think that everything we’ve done has helped them and they have helped themselves abundantly! But…” Here, he twisted his fingers together and looked somewhat uncomfortable, “I think there is even more help for them…just…not here.” He looked nervously at his agent and the boys’ fatherly figure. The two looked at each other and then a soft smile broke out on Janus’ face,  
“Well done, Roman.” He said, looking at the man with a gentle gaze, “You’ve taken a step forward that you may not necessarily be comfortable with but you are more concerned with the boys’ wellbeing over your own comfort. That is an important step towards parenthood.” Patton was beaming,  
“Roman, that’s fantastic!”  
The idea seemed less than fantastic a few hours later when Virgil was glaring at him from his curled up position on the sofa.  
“No.” He looked like a caged, terrified animal, ready to pounce or flee if he had to.  
The position was familiar. Hunched up to appear bigger, glaring with a dead look and a deep scowl. Logan was hidden behind him slightly, trying to understand the situation. Roman glanced towards Patton and Janus, who were watching quietly. Roman turned back to the boys. Virgil growled as he lowered himself onto the sofa,  
“Virgil,” he implored, “I know you’re scared. You’ve been scared a long time but I want you to stop being scared. I want to help you, guide you, let you become the great person you are capable of being. But,” he sighed, “it’s high time I admit that I can’t do that alone.”  
“I can!” Virgil snarled, “I don’t need anybody’s help. I have Logan and I have myself and that’s gotten me by this long.” Tears began to collect in the bright eyes, “I’ve looked after myself all these years and no one’s cared before so why?! Why does it matter now? Why after everything?!” He stared at Roman, daring him to answer and blinking hard to hold back his tears. Roman sighed,  
“Virgil…” he tried to sound confident yet gentle, “you’re right. You’ve fought so long and been so wrongly left alone. I don’t want you to do this because I don’t think you can take care of yourself. I don’t think you are weak or pathetic or whatever you think I think of you.” Virgil tensed, “What I do want is for you not to have to fight anymore. I don’t think you can’t fight, I want to give you the weapons to win. I want the same for Logan.” Logan perked at the sound of his name and peered at Roman carefully,  
“Are we going to therapy like Remy?” Roman smiled at him,  
“Yes, Logan.” The boy looked immediately interested.  
“Will we be able to ask questions and learn about how our brains work?” He asked, leaning forward. The mind was his newest interest. A complex system of thoughts, ideals, and endless fantastic wonders that rivaled the complexity of the universe. Roman chuckled,  
“You’ll learn a great deal about that, yes, Logan.” Virgil was looking at Logan with a torn expression on his face. Janus watched from afar, curious if Roman would use Logan as a final factor to sway Virgil over to his side. Roman looked at Virgil with a soft expression and leaned towards him,  
“You don’t have to do this, Virgil. I can’t make you, but I want you to try it.” Patton couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips.  
Virgil shot a look at the other adults. Janus was looking at him with a soft, unreadable expression, Patton looked hopeful, and Remus was looking cross eyed. He looked back at Roman and took a shaky breath,  
“Alright.” The smile that broke out on Roman’s face was blinding. He reached out and ruffled Virgil’s hair. He kept his hand in the mop of hair as he met Virgil’s gaze,  
“I’m proud of you.” He said,  
“Why?” Virgil huffed, “I haven’t done anything yet.” Roman shook his head,  
“You’ve done much more than you probably know, Virgil. I’m proud of you.” The teen shrugged and ducked his head to hide a shy smile. Janus sighed and let his shoulders relax, turning sharply when Remus poked his shoulder.  
“Cruchy time?” He asked, looking expectantly up at his employer. Janus rolled his eyes slightly,  
“Really? Now?” Remus whined and tugged on Janus’ arm slightly, pulling the agent towards the living room.  
“Crunchy tiiiiiiiiimmmmmmmmmmmeeee!” He sang, not at all heeding the stares of the others. Janus sighed and looked towards the confused faces,  
“When Remus decides it’s time for me to relax, he calls for ‘cruchy time’.” This was all he could say before being pulled from the room. It cleared up nothing. Logan, first to succumb to curiosity, followed them.  
Remus was climbing on the coffee table, pushing at Janus, and trying to get him down on the carpet. Janus was being stubbornly immobile, and Remus was getting impatient. He finally flopped onto the agent and sent them both crashing to the floor. Janus groaned in pain and shot a glare at the younger twin. Roman, Patton, and Virgil came hurrying in at the commotion. Remus, looking extremely proud of himself, sat himself next to Janus and began to prod the tense muscles on Janus’ neck. The agent didn’t look comfortable, but he also wasn’t getting up. Remus then began his favorite pastime, cracking Janus’ back. It was odd to see Remus, normally bumbling and stumbling about, suddenly begin acting with careful precision. Roman was staring with shock while Logan was observing with interest and Patton looked confused. Virgil was the one to break the awkward silence,  
“Is this ‘crunchy time’?” Remus looked up at him with a grin,  
“I’m a licensed chiropractor!” Roman looked like he might faint,  
“What?! When?!” Remus’ grin turned somewhat diabolical but it was Janus who answered,  
“About a year ago, although he went through all the training under the name ‘Casper’ for some reason or another.” The agent’s voice was heavy and slightly slurred. His eyelids were drooping and he looked more relaxed than anyone other than Remus could recall seeing him. Virgil flinched at the sound of a particularly loud adjustment. Logan’s eyes widened and he leaned closer to watch Remus’ handiwork. Roman shook his head and wandered out, muttering about how he was the last to know anything and would prefer if he didn’t know some of the stuff. Virgil followed not long after a few more cracks, looking slightly disgusted with the sounds.  
Janus felt himself beginning to relax. He let out a long sigh to let Remus know that the attention he was getting was paying off. He kept a brave face on for the media and for his makeshift family but the weight of his exposure to the media was heavy on his shoulders. He had kept half a dozen interveiws today where people asked him the same basic questions about bullies and childhood and how he was treated growing up and then congratulating him on his bravery and his example to young people going through the same discrimination. Like every interview he’d been on, he was sure they would cut out how he was exposed against his will and without his consent. Those articles had been long since taken down, they had done their damage and were no longer useful to the media. His face, however, remained a hot topic and he was more than ready for it to become old news. Why couldn’t someone else have a scandal or die or something already? Remus sensed his muscles tensing and pushed his thumbs into the muscles around his shoulders. Janus hissed and then melted. He kept his eyes closed, knowing that if he opened them, he would be met with Logan’s ever curious stare.  
Patton quietly snapped a few pictures and wandered out. The silence continued until Janus fell asleep where he lay, the tension on his face finally smoothing. Remus continued his care, glancing at his audience with a look that softened into something like tenderness.  
“Hey, Birdie,” he whispered, catching Logan’s attention, “how are you doing?” Logan blinked,  
“I am adequate, why do you ask?” Remus tilted his head,  
“Because no one else does.” He covered Janus with a blanket and slipped a pillow under his head, “On top of that, no one asks you the questions that need answered by you.” Logan looked confused,  
“What questions?” Remus settled down and Logan came to sit next to him,  
“Like how are you and why are you afraid of the ocean?” Logan shifted and a hesitant look crossed his face. He shifted and looked prepared to get up and run if Remus didn’t throw and arm around his shoulder and pulled him close, “Why are you scared of deep water, Little Bird?” Logan snuggled closer and played with his fingers,  
“Promise not to tell?” He whispered. His uncle pressed a quick kiss to Logan’s hair,  
“As sure as I am that my real name is Casper and my parents lied to me my whole life, you can be sure that I will not tell a soul.” Logan shot him an amused smile,  
“I don’t know if you really believe that or not. But I do trust you.” He added with a more serious expression. “I suppose it’s because I don’t know what it holds. I’ve been living my whole life in a metaphorical ocean. Dark, unpredictable, ever changing. I want to find out how the currents work and where my ocean is deepest, most dangerous. I want to know how to navigate these metaphorical waters so that I can find safe and solid ground to stand on.” Remus looked down at the boy.  
“I know what you mean, Birdie. I guess you already know this but no matter how much you learn about yourself and how much you would like to loose those parts that are less than sexy, your ocean is always going to have storms and whirlpools and all sorts of natural rollercoasters but what Ro-Ro is proposing can definitely help you to navigate those events and help you to be prepared for them.” Logan smiled,  
“I think so too. I’m excited.” Remus nodded,  
“Good. It’s good to see you happy for a change.” The two looked towards Janus, who had rolled over and was now breathing more deeply, enjoying his sleep. Remus let Logan ramble to him about space and psychology and all of his most recent interests, listening to the quiet boy who always had something to say. He liked to hear Logan comfortable enough to talk without fearing he was taking up his uncle’s time or that he was bothering him. The little one deserved more attention than most bothered to give him and this one on one time he spent with Logan was one of his favorite past times. Logan wouldn’t take the entire event for himself, though. He asked Remus about his latest endeavors and inquired after his garden and other odd hobbies. Remus was all too happy to express himself to the lad. They let themselves get lost in quiet conversation, watching over the man before them and sharing secrets that would never see the light of day.


	34. Are You Ready to Try?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan is concerned, Remy is amused, Patton is confused, Janus is mom, Remus is a bad influence, Roman's imagination is a little too good, and Virgil just doesn't know what holiday it is.   
Or maybe he does.   
I'm just as confused as Patton here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the moment before the beginning of the end. Life has a way of settling around us and showing us a perfect spot to close a story. Not long now, my dears...

“BOO!” Patton shrieked and turned on the cackling teenager,  
“Virgil Storm! Don’t scare me like that!!” Patton placed a hand on his chest, feeling his thumping heart. Virgil smiled with a hint of guilt in his eyes. The mischievous boy was decked in full Halloween attire and looked thoroughly spooky. Patton sighed, “Virgil, Halloween was last month.” The teen looked offended,  
“Halloween isn’t a day, Pat! It’s a lifestyle!” Patton looked at Virgil with amusement,   
“What ever you say, Kiddo.” Virgil puffed up,  
“I do say so! Thank you for acknowledging my supreme opinion.” He swept his cape and disappeared from the room, rushing past Remy in the process.  
“Not that he doesn’t look fab but he does know that it’s Thanksgiving, right?” Patton chuckled,  
“Yeah, he’s just living in denial.” Remy shook his head and let Patton pull him into a side hug,  
“Thanks for letting me come, Dad. I was prepping to spend another Thanksgiving alone.” Patton smiled sadly,  
“No thanks needed, Remy. I’m glad to have you over.” Remy sighed,  
“I wanted them to be home, but you don’t get everything, right?” Patton pulled him closer,  
“I know, Kiddo, I’m sorry.” Remy sniffed,  
“It’s not your fault but thanks.” Patton nodded,  
“Anytime, Kiddo.”  
He held Remy a little longer, letting the boy hide his face from the cruel world and felt Remy’s tears soak into his shirt. The boy didn’t cry long, he backed up and wiped at his eyes with a forced laugh,  
“Lucky I decided not to wear makeup today, I guess.” Patton stood by, watching, aching to pull him back in but giving him space. The moment was interrupted as the door was thrown open and Logan came rushing in,  
“Where’s Janus?!” He asked with wide eyes, “Uncle Remus is trying to go turkey hunting and Uncle Roman is moments away from consenting!” Remy let out a laugh as Patton scrambled from the room. He looked towards Logan and extended a hand,  
“I gotta see this! Lead the way, Babe!” Logan took his hand and dragged him outside.  
“I can see the flaws in his arguments but Uncle Roman is actually buying that the original Thanksgiving was established to stop armies of turkeys from wiping out all other viable life.” Remy couldn’t stop laughing now as he caught sight of the twins. Remus was supposedly reenacting some dramatic scene that had, quite unfairly, never been put in any historical documentation, swinging at an imaginary cavalry of turkeys. Roman looked somewhere between captivated and brainwashed, staring somewhat blankly into the distance. Logan and Remy stopped to stare as Remus, evidently overwhelmed by the sheer number of imaginary birds, was thrown to the ground and enacted a dramatic death. Roman’s inner actor appealed to the scenario and began some remorse filled dialog about how it was too soon to loose his brother.   
Janus cam hurrying out of the house, followed by Virgil who was still in full costume and Patton. The agent had his vest on, and his yellow collard shirt had its sleeves rolled up to his elbows, evidence that he’d been cooking. This was further confirmed by the black apron he wore, dusted by flour. He placed his hands on his hips and strode over to the Princes,  
“What in heaven’s name are you doing out here?” He nudged Remus with his foot, “I’m inside, slaving away and doing all the hard work and you two are out here, acting like escaped lunatics. Get up and come inside and be useful where I can keep an eye on you.” He turned and took a few steps away before casting a look back over his shoulder, “I need someone to sample the brownies.”   
Remy doubled over in laughter as the two boys jumped up and rushed inside. Janus shook his head as he followed them, patting Virgil’s head as he passed,  
“Love the outfit, Virgil, are you a raccoon?” He asked with a smile. Virgil huffed,  
“What!? No!” He crossed his arms, “And you know that, you’re just being a jerk.” He accused the agent with a frown. Janus smiled innocently,  
“What? You mean you’re not a raccoon?” Virgil punched the agent’s arms gently.   
“Jerk.” He growled playfully,  
“Raccoon.” Janus replied, stepping away as Virgil made another attempt to hit him. The teen gave chase and Janus darted away. They disappeared inside and Patton shook his head, watching them go. Logan tugged on Remy’s hand, dragging him towards the house,  
“Hurry up!” He groaned, pulling harder, “They’ll eat everything if we don’t hurry!” Remy, still chuckling, sped up his pace to appease the younger boy. Patton followed, closing the door behind them.   
The inside of Roman’s home was happy chaos. The sound of laughter and running feet echoed throughout the hallways. Remy squealed as Virgil caught up to him and tackled him to the floor. He shrieked with laughter as Virgil tickled him relentlessly. Janus nearly jumped out of his skin as Logan rushed into the kitchen and hid behind him. He looked genuinely terrified. Janus sighed and placed a hand on Logan’s head,  
“Remus!” He called. The man tumbled out of the cupboard below the sink and did a neat somersault to Janus’ feet.   
“You beckoned?” He said with a smile, Janus nodded,  
“Keep and eye on Logan, will you? Don’t let him get assaulted.”   
“The correct term is ‘battery’, you know.” Remus corrected. He held out his arms and Logan shifted closer to him. Remus caught him up in a hug and squeezed him tightly. Logan returned the gesture with less gusto. Remus led him out, saying something about chess.  
Dinner was finally ready, and Janus and Patton finished laying out the assortment of dishes on the table. Patton smiled and clasped his hands together,  
“Isn’t it amazing that there’s a whole day just to be thankful for what you have?” He turned to Janus with a bright smile on his face. Janus raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to retort when Roman swept in,  
“Ah! I love this time of year!” He cried enthusiastically, throwing a hand out and taking a deep whiff of the heavenly scent that rose from the table. The bright colors of fall were there in the cranberry sauce and the sweet potato casserole. The green beans added their flare and the mashed potatoes were a nice balance of white among all the colors. Of course there was all the typical Thanksgiving foods like stuffing and turkey and the rest. Steam rose in clouds, completing the look. The smell soon drew the entire family together. They sat together, talking of the time that had past and reliving the memories of the past adventure’s they’d had. Virgil listened as Remus and Roman argued about who was the more difficult child growing up and Janus poured himself another glass of wine. Patton chatted with Logan quietly and Remy nudged Virgil’s arm,  
“So, how’s therapy going?” Virgil shrugged,  
“Patton says that the early stages will be the hardest, I have to get past those to actually expect results.” Remy nodded,  
“Yeah, and you have to actually tell them about the bad stuff.” Virgil scoffed,  
“That’s my favorite part.” Remy chuckled,  
“I bet so, Babe.” He took a sip of his apple cider, “You’re going to Picani, right?” Virgil nodded,  
“Yeah,” he sighed, “He’s a little…weird…? I don’t know how to describe him…like if Patton and Roman mashed together into someone and then somehow became, like, super smart.” Remy giggled,  
“Sounds fun.” Virgil shrugged again,  
“I don’t know about ‘fun’ exactly but he does seem to know what he’s talking about. More than I do, I guess.” Remy nodded,  
“That’s the part that’s a little scary, they know more about your mind than you do.”   
They lapsed into silence and moved onto different topics. They talked about poetry and Remy’s school and about all that they were thankful for. Patton shared bad jokes until Logan hid under the table. Janus complained that now he had to convince both Logan and Remus to return to their seats while the two culprits giggled from their hiding place. Roman and Virgil discussed plays and plots and they even managed to engage Janus in a debate about the whether the villain of the play was actually a villain. Roman eventually had to concede that it wasn’t as black and white as he thought although he pouted until dessert. Logan looked especially sleepy when they all settled down on the sofa after the kitchen was clean. Janus selected a book and allowed Remus to lean against him. Roman turned on the television and tugged Virgil to his side. Remy sat next to Virgil, having no hesitation in flopping down against him. Patton smiled at them all and gave thanks for his happy little family. He turned to go grab his water from the other room when his phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his pocket and smiled when he saw the number,  
“Hello, this is Patton!”


	35. Baby Bird, Please Don't Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All good thinks must come to an end...  
WARNINGS FOR CRYING AND SADNESS AND AGGRESSIVE RESPONSES TO SAID SADNESS.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are moments in life where you have to take a step forwards that also takes you a step away....  
This is the beginning of the end.

Janus clasped his hands behind his back and stared out the window. He wasn’t looking at Patton who was nervously twisting his fingers together. The agent didn’t turn away from the window but directed his question towards the landlord,  
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Patton chuckled a little brokenly,  
“No…I don’t.” He looked down at his fingers, “But it’s time.” Janus turned to him, taking in the disheveled state of the man before him.  
“I’m not going to stop you, Patton,” he admitted, seating himself next to his friend, “but I do want you to know that this isn’t going to be easy for them.” Patton sniffed a little and nodded,  
“I know.”   
“You should tell them now, Patton, to give them time.”   
“I know.”  
“You don’t want to hurt them.” Patton forced his eyes to meet Janus’,  
“Of course I don’t.” Janus looked sympathetically at the man before reaching up and pulling Patton into a tight hug.  
“It’s all going to be okay.” Patton held on tightly,  
“Are you sure?” Janus sighed,  
“I wish I was.”   
Virgil and Roman were arguing over geometry. Roman’s hair was a fantastic mess from running his hands through it and Virgil was glaring at him with a look that would make the dead turn in their graves. Roman pushed the paper around the table with the chewed up pencil Virgil was using,  
“Just…they want you to prove it, Virgil.”  
“But why?” Virgil demanded, “That’s stupid and pointless. They’ve already proven it, why do I have to do it again? Am I gonna have to prove that the world is round next?” Roman rubbed his face aggressively,  
“Just…prove it.”  
“Buy why?”  
“Because the instructions say so!” Roman wailed helplessly. Virgil huffed but the scratching of pencil on paper followed shortly after. Patton stood, hidden in the stairway, trying to remember to breath. This was one of the hardest things he was ever going to have to do. He stepped out into the dining room.  
“Logan!” He called, “Can you come in here from a moment?” Logan appeared moments later, followed by Remus. He was clutching a biology book to his chest. Patton took another shaky breath and felt Janus’ calming presence behind him, “I have something to tell you, boys.” Virgil immediately tensed,  
“What’s wrong?” He demanded. Patton shook his head,  
“Nothing! Nothing’s ‘wrong’ really. It’s just…” He looked at Janus who nodded softly, “It’s the apartments, Virgil.” He admitted, “The man who was watching over them for me is getting married and moving away, he gave me his two week notice a few days ago.” Virgil shot up from his seat,  
“So, what? Are you hiring someone else?” Patton bit his lip, shooting a look at Roman.   
“No, Virgil,” he said slowly, “I’m going back to take over the position again.”   
The room was stunned into silence. Janus rested his hands on Patton’s shoulder in silent support. Logan stared with a blank expression that Patton recognized as his ‘robot’ look. Virgil slammed his fist into the table and stared at the ground, frozen in place. Roman looked sorrowfully at Patton, but nodded in understanding. Remus, for once, was quiet, pulling Logan into a hug. Patton moved forward and cupped Virgil’s chin,  
“Hey,” he whispered, trying and failing to keep his own tears at bay, “You’re gonna be okay, Kiddo, I promise.” Virgil turned away sharply,  
“Why?” He hissed, “Why are you leaving me?! Don’t you care?!” Patton flinched as if he’d been hurt. Janus stepped forward but it was Roman who spoke.  
“Virgil Storm!” He exclaimed, “You know very well that Patton cares for you and Logan more than anyone else in this world. You’re upset, I know, but that’s no reason to treat Patton that way.” Virgil didn’t answer, darting from the room and pounding up the stairs. His bedroom door slammed closed shortly after. Logan’s quiet and strained voice rose in the silence,  
“I’d like to go to bed, please.” Roman looked towards him,  
“Alright.” He conceded, “Would you like Patton too-”  
“No, thank you.” Logan cut him off, shaking out of Remus’ grip. The man let him go. Silence rained on the adults. Roman offered a strained smile to Patton,  
“I’m going to miss you, Padre.” He mumbled, pulling the landlord into a hug. Patton sniffed,  
“Thanks, Roman. You’re gonna be great.” Remus included himself in the hug, almost knocking them over. The twins pulled away moments later,  
“I should get dinner started.” Roman said. Remus didn’t say anything but followed his brother to the kitchen. Patton turned to Janus with tears running down his face,  
“I’m sorry.” He whispered. Janus shook his head and stepped forward, pulling Patton into a hug,  
“They’re going to be amazing, Patton.”  
“I know, I know.” Patton chanted,  
“Shhhh…” Janus muttered, “Nothing more will happen to them. You’ve saved them.”   
Virgil was curled up on Patton’s bed, his face buried in the material when the door opened. He jerked upright only to see Logan staring back at him. His little brother didn’t say anything, just climbed into the bed, settling himself next to Virgil. They didn’t talk and Virgil was grateful for the silence. He was angry. How could Patton just up and leave them? Again? He felt betrayed and hurt. Patton was…everything. Or…at least…he had been everything. Now Virgil was faced with the flood of thoughts that wouldn’t leave him be. Janus’ awkward but caring nature, Remus’ dedication and loyalty, Remy’s friendship, and Roman’ rise to parenthood. None of this would’ve happened without Patton. The man had selflessly given himself into the cause of creating a safe world for his boys and had filled it with caring and devoted people. Tears broke out and trailed down his face. Logan gave a small noise as he pushed himself close to Virgil, offering as much comfort as he could. Virgil took deep breath and tried to stay strong for Logan.  
Patton sat alone with a half drunk glass of wine and a tear-stained face. How out of place his small smile was. He was leaving, yes, but he was leaving with the knowledge that his boys were safe. He would visit them often and call them even more. His boys. At long last, they were truly his. He swirled the wine in his glass before pushing himself up and turning towards the sound of hushed voices. Roman was talking with Janus while Remus slumped over a chair behind them, snoring loudly. Patton turned and wandered out of the room. He reached and ascended the stairs slowly, feeling the familiar path with a new weight. He paused next to Virgil’s closed door and knocked quietly. No answer. He guessed the boy was asleep after such an emotionally charge reaction to the news he’d received. Patton continued down the hallway past Logan’s room until he got to his own and pushed the door open.  
Resting in the middle of Patton’s bed were two sleeping figures. Virgil and Logan were tangled together, wrapped in Patton’s softest blanket. A tender expression lighted on Patton’s face in the dark. He carefully retrieved his pajamas and exited to get ready for bed. He reentered and eased down onto the bed behind Virgil. The teen shifted and his eyes opened slightly.  
“Shhh,” Patton whispered, “It’s just me, Verge, go back to sleep.” But Virgil had other plans as he rolled over and buried himself in Patton’s arms.  
“I’m sorry. I know you care. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Patton held him close and shushed him again.  
“I know, Kiddo, I know. It’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re okay.” He pressed a kiss to Virgil’s hair and held him close until they both fell asleep.   
Two weeks dwindled into one, one week dwindled into days, and days dwindled into hours. Logan sat on Patton’s bed, watching the man pack up the last of his belongings. Virgil was downstairs, being moody and Roman and Janus were dealing with him. Patton sat back on his heels and swiped a hand across his forehead,  
“Phew! I have no clue how I got this much stuff here!” He smiled at Logan and got to his feet with a grunt. “Welp, time to make one more go-around!” Logan hopped up and helped him search the drawers, under the bed, in the shower, and through every other nook and cranny they could think of. Patton’s belongings were all packed save the things he needed to spend his last night in the place that they’d learned to call home. Patton placed his hands on his hips and sighed, extending a hand to Logan, “Let’s go down and see if everyone else wants pizza as much as I do!” Logan followed willingly.  
Downstairs was in a rather chaotic state. Patton moving had upset the schedule that had become routine in the house. Schoolbooks and papers lay everywhere. Logan’s shoes were under the table, Virgil’s notebooks were all over the sofa, Remus’ ant-farm was dangerously close to the sink and Janus’ hat was on top of a lamp. Patton clicked his tongue and set about righting things up. Slowly, the others slipped in to help. Even Remus tried to be helpful by switching all the caps on the colored sharpie markers. Once everything was in its proper place, they ordered pizza and turned on a movie. Patton was immediately captured in between his boys and it was obvious they had no intention of moving.   
“Promise you won’t leave until after breakfast?” Virgil whispered. Patton smoothed the purple hair back,  
“I promise, Virgil Storm, that I won’t leave until after breakfast tomorrow.” Virgil nodded, not trusting his voice. Logan rested quietly on his other side and the room lapsed into silence.   
It was too normal for Virgil. Here they were, watching a movie, eating pizza, all of them on the sofa like it was any other Thursday night. In his head, he was standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to plunge into the deep icy water that churned, dark and dangerous, below him. He twisted a hand into Patton’s cardigan, holding tightly, afraid to let go. Patton wrapped an arm around him and pulled him closer, pressing kiss after kiss into his hair with a silent promise that everything would be alright. He wanted to believe that, darn it! He wanted it to be okay for Patton to move forward with something, to be okay with doing something! He wanted that so badly! But here, sitting on the sofa as he watched Elsa’s parents perish in a watery death, he felt that he could relate to Anna more now than he ever had before.


	36. I Promise This is Not Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Patton gone, Roman works to give the boys a sense of stability and home without their heart there to guide them.  
WARNING: IT'S STILL SAD

“You good, fam?” Remy looked at Virgil with a worried expression. Virgil shrugged halfheartedly and poked his straw around what had been a milkshake before he’d let it melt into the unappetizing puddle it’d become. He was replaying the scene of Patton’s departure over and over in his mind.  
The morning had been like any other morning, the sky even had the audacity to be bright and sunny. The breakfast had been like any other breakfast but it was heavy and had weighted Virgil’s stomach down into his shoes. Patton and been bustling about, making phone calls and trying to be ready to leave. The goodbye had been especially hard. Patton had hugged them all and promised to call often and visit when he could. Logan had surprised everyone by breaking down. Patton had wiped his tears away and kissed his cheeks until he laughed. Janus and Patton had exchanged quiet thanks for the help they’d supplied each other. Roman had swept Patton into a hug and Remus had given him a mushroom in case Patton wanted to start his own zombie garden. And Virgil…Virgil had been so numb. It was like the sheer weight of knowing that Patton was leaving had drawn all of the feeling out of his soul. Everything that happened that morning had seemed to happen outside of him. Even when Patton had hugged him and told him that he was proud of him and how much he loved him, Virgil had felt like he was watching a cutscene in a VR game. He remembered most clearly when Patton had gone from sight and he’d run back into the house to lock himself in his room and cry.  
And now Remy was asking if he was alright. What a question! Virgil looked up at Remy’s concerned expression and relented. He sat back with a sigh,  
“I’m just not used to not having Patton around, that’s all.” He tried to sound carefree but instead felt that he was adding new weight to his shoulders. Remy nodded but didn’t look convinced. It had only been a week since Patton had left and things at home were strained to say the least.  
Logan had lapsed into silence like he had when he’d first moved in with Roman. Remus was the only one who could get the boy to talk, even then it was hardly more than a few short sentences. Virgil was cold and guarded towards everyone except Logan. He tried to keep the boy safe from whatever threats his mind could conjure up. Janus watched helplessly from afar as Roman struggled to keep his little family afloat. Therapy was also having issues. If Virgil was difficult to work with before, he was now impossible to get to. However, Roman persevered, keeping a strong face on and never giving up on the boys.  
Patton called when he could. but he was busy getting his little homes back into order. It had been a while since he’d been here and there were bits and pieces that needed fixing up. A fresh coat of paint here and there, some new locks and doorknobs and whatnot. There was no end to the tiny details that he could buys himself with to numb the pain of separation. Sometimes, he needed the excuse of a project to get out of his own head. He comforted himself with the knowledge that he was helping others by making his building a place they could call home.  
Janus was around as much as he could be but with time comes change and with change comes new responsibilities. Roman was dedicating more time at home now to be with his nephews but this also meant less time on sets and at fashion shows and interviews. The management of Roman’s life was now completely different and Janus was working his hardest to try to make the companies and his client as happy as humanly possible. With Christmas coming around the corner, there was an offer for Roman to appear in a short TV feature that was a typical Christmas themed story that followed a tired romantic storyline and ended in a predictable union of the coupled after a few cliché obstacles in their storyline. It sounded exactly like something Roman would be interested in so he forwarded the email and sat back in his chair with a sigh. He hoped that Roman was getting on alright.  
Remy adjusted his glasses and rested his chin on Virgil’s shoulder. The comforting weight of his friend gave Virgil a little room to relax. Gummy Bear was hiding in his hoodie as Roman had agreed to Remy bringing her over. She was nibbling at the fabric and snacking on the treats that Remy had brought for her. Logan was out with Remus, who had collected him that morning after dropping Janus off at his office. They hadn’t said much about where they were going and Logan hadn’t seemed particularly excited but he hadn’t seemed particularly excited about much lately. Remus had dragged him off anyway with the promise of a good time. Roman had let them go, telling Remus to bring Logan back safe and sound. Remus hadn’t promised anything but it was a given that he would defend the boy with his life.  
The hardest thing for Virgil right now was the approaching Christmas. The time of year was painful due to the memories of last Christmas and the fact that Patton had been there for them. The loss of the bright man was hitting Virgil and Logan especially hard as Christmas approached. Virgil looked up as Remus entered. Logan was perched on his shoulders, resting his cheek on the beanie that the rat man was wearing. He looked as quiet as ever, staring at Remy. Remus set down the bags of books he was carrying before lowering Logan to the ground.  
“Books?” Virgil asked,  
“School books for next semester. Patton sent a list.” Logan shrugged, coming over to look at Gummy Bear.  
She took and immediate liking to the boy and nuzzled into his hand. Logan offered a soft smile that faded quickly. He turned and looked towards the stockings that hung above the fireplace. Patton’s stocking lay on top of the fireplace, a little off to the side. Neither boy had possessed enough spirit to pin it up. Patton had already confirmed that he probably wouldn’t make it to the house for Christmas. Roman sighed from the doorway, causing them to turn to him. He had a towel thrown over one shoulder and suds on his hands. He looked at the boys with a sorrowful gaze, mustering up a smile. He stepped forward and wiped his hands off.  
“Boys,” he sighed, “I know that it’s hard for you to deal with this change. Patton is a huge part of all of us and I don’t expect you to be alright with that change. I do know, though, how strong you are.” He smiled at them, “I don’t say this because I think that’ll make it easier and I want you to know that there is nothing wrong with feeling like you are feeling right now.” He paused for breath, clearly this hadn’t been rehearsed. Remus took this moment to creep up and pull his twin’s shorts down. Roman looked down with a defeated sigh. Remy lowered his glasses while Virgil and Logan exchanged wide-eyed glances. “What I’m trying to say is, we will get through this. And I’m horrible at this.” He let his hands drop and turned to Logan, “Was that alright in terms of parenting talks?”  
“It was certainly something else.” Remy commented, still staring, “Someone never skips leg day.” Roman sighed again and reached down, pulling up his shorts. Logan and Virgil were still casting their gazes in different directions while Remus giggled in the background. Roman nodded awkwardly,  
“Good. Good. Okay. Right.” He muttered to himself as he wandered off into the kitchen. The three boys exchanged glances before turning to Remus. Remy snapped a picture of Remus screaming into the couch cushions,  
“Does this happen often?” He asked,  
“More than you’d think.” Virgil muttered.  
Christmas was slowly and steadily approaching, and Janus was aware that Virgil was far from okay. He was taking Patton’s departure much harder than Logan was. The negative effect it was having on Virgil impacted Logan significantly. He was watching the teen scroll through his phone, being angsty and distracting himself. Janus crossed his arms and leaned against the counter.  
“He’ll be okay.” Janus started at the noise and turned to see Roman standing next to him. He’d apparently finished his phone interview a little earlier than expected.  
“You think so?” Roman nodded,  
“I know so. He just needs time to adjust, space to breath, and all the support we can give him.” Janus smiled at Roman. He adjusted his gloves and changed the subject.  
“Film going well?” Roman smiled.  
He was taking the lead role in ‘A Christmas Heart’. It was a heart wrenching film where a soldier, terrorized by the images of his past, meets a puppy. The owner of the dog is, apparently, a total dream and the two hit it off immediately. The big, heart wrenching happens when the (spoilers) puppy-owner reveals that the mother of the puppy is back at their house and the soldier discovers that it’s his puppy that he left behind to join the army. Janus didn’t see the appeal but that was beside the point. Roman rambled about the outfits and the script.  
Christmas was, as expected, hard, as were the days that followed but, somehow, he survived. Virgil was getting better in therapy but had trouble expressing this to Roman. Guilt plagued him. Roman should be the first person he could turn to with something like this. Roman was the only one who could really do anything to help him but Virgil couldn’t help the feeling of dread that accompanied any thought of “sharing” with his uncle. According to therapy, that was okay. If he wasn’t ready to open up, then he wasn’t ready. Simple as that. The amazing thing was that Picani had asked if he was okay telling this to Roman. It had taken courage but Virgil had mustered it up and asked his uncle for patience. Roman had listened, smiled, and pulled him into a hug. Virgil wasn’t sure what he’d expected but it certainly hadn’t been that. Roman’s support and acceptance that Virgil just needed time was a huge weight off the teen’s shoulders. He felt more at ease and his smiles were a little less forced.  
Time was the hardest and the kindest teacher. Patton continued to support the boys from afar and to visit when he could, watching them grow in glimpses and pictures. Roman continued to improve in his parenting skills and never once abandoned the boys. He celebrated with them the first time Virgil spent the night at Remy’s and Logan’s friendship with the librarian. He cried with joy when Virgil expressed interest in dual enrollment at the local college and nearly fainted when Logan asked to try going to school. He consoled Virgil when he had doubts as to if he was smart enough and supported Logan’s wishes to take online classes when dealing with classrooms of people became too hard. Janus made time for the boys but also worked to expand his own career. He used his exposure now to try to send messages to the public. He advocated for the privacy of celebrities and started his own platform to tell his story. Remus remained Remus, forever loyal and caring in his own way and fiercely protective of his nephews. Remy worked towards starting his own YouTube channel that focused on his part time job as a barista in a local coffee shop. Inspired by Remy’s channel, Patton sold his apartments and opened his own shop, promising Remy a job there if he wanted one. Yes, time was a cruel and horrible teacher but one that got the job done. The boys learned to move forward instead of away from those they loved and their supporters gave them the means to do so.


	37. But Baby Bird, It's Time to Fly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time jump to the end, here. Life is full of ups and downs and while the boys were deprived of a life with their birth parents, they've found a family that will be with them always. A family they can always come back to and who will always welcome them with open arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is time, my peeps! Thank you for the amazingness that is you guys and I want to wish all of you a life full of Patton's cuddles, Janus' worrying, Roman's kindness, Remus' adventures, Virgil's protectiveness, Logan's curiosity, and Remy's ability to slay.   
And may Steve be with you all. :)

Roman set his menu down and leaned on the table, getting into Janus’ face. The happy bustle of the café around them matched Roman’s glowing expression.  
“He named one after me.” He squealed happily. Janus raised an eyebrow and sighed,  
“As if you didn’t have a big enough ego.” He muttered, glancing back down at his own menu.   
It was true. Patton had named a cupcake on his menu “Roman’s Royal Cupcake” and it was a red velvet cake with fluffy marshmallow frosting, lightly toasted. Janus’ gaze trailed down the list and wasn’t surprised to see a few more names jump out at him; “Remus’ Mudpie Dessert”, “Remy’s Iced Dream”, “Janus’ Tea”, “Lo-Lo’s Jam Prints”, “Patton’s Cocoa Surprise”, and “Virgil’s Stormy Brew”. All of the descriptions were worded to match each person and Janus was surprised to find that, even without his name in front of it, the tea was exactly what appealed to him most. He looked up to see Remus cackling at his own namesake as Remy sauntered over. He plopped down on the empty seat next to Remus and pulled out his phone,  
“Selfie time!” He chirped and stuck up two fingers. Remus paused to glare at the camera while Remy snapped the photo. He pulled himself upright again to examine the product. “That’s a keeper!” He announced. Janus sighed,  
“Hello, Remy, how are classes?” The boy looked up at Janus and slipped his phone into his pocket,  
“Oh, you know, college is college. Finals are finally over and I’m free for the summer!!” He threw his hands up in celebration. Roman chuckled,  
“Fall semester is your last or second to last?” He asked, leaning to see around Remus who was attempting to lick the table. Janus slid a napkin in front of Remus’ face before his tongue could make contact. Remy redirected his attention to Roman,  
“Yeah, next, next semester. I have a couple more than I’m done, done. Like, completely. Imma be a Queen with a degree!”   
“Business, right?” Janus asked. Remy nodded,  
“Pat-Pat already said he’d help me get started on my own place to sell the sweet bean-juice of the gods!”   
“Of course I will, Kiddo!” The cheery voice of the proud owner was a welcomed sound to all of them. Patton had been busier than a bee with his little shop and they didn’t see him as often as they would like. It had been almost three years since they’d actually gotten to sit down and have some time together. There were no end to the texts, emails, pictures, and calls that were exchanged between the members of the little family.   
“Padre!” Roman cheered, pulling the man into a tight hug.   
“Hi, Ro-Ro!” He laughed before getting attacked by Remus and Remy. He giggled as Remus took a deep whiff of his hair,  
“YOU SMELL LIKE SUGAR!” He screamed, trying to lick Patton’s face,  
“Alright, Remus, settle down.” Janus chided carefully. Patton pulled Janus into a hug and settled down next to the agent.  
“How are you guys doing?” He asked happily. Affirmations and updates were exchanged until a quiet settled on them. Their drinks and pastries were delivered and Patton’s praises were sang over their quality. Roman ordered an entire box of cupcakes to take home while Janus reminded him that he was supposed to be on a diet for a movie role. Remus promised to eat all the cupcakes for him and received a playful smack for it.   
“Harder, Da-” Remy clamped a hand over Remus’ mouth and the remainder of what he was trying to say was lost to the world. Patton turned to Roman,  
“So, when are the boys coming down?” Roman’s eyes spoke for him and the smile slowly faded from Patton’s face,  
“Oh…” He whispered. Roman offered a sympathetic smile,  
“They’re finally confident enough to try to spend a summer up there! I mean, Virgil has a job and Logan…Logan is taking so many classes. He’s really taking advantage of that full scholarship!” It was no surprise to any of them that Logan had climbed the educational ladder with alarming speed and graduated high school early. He’d gone on to receive full funding for school and he and Virgil had set their eyes on a school that was all the way in California. It had been a big, scary move but they had the support and motivation to achieve their dreams.   
“I’m proud of them.” He stated with a smile, swiping tears from his eyes. “They’re so big now!” He laughed. Roman smiled down into his cocoa. Suddenly, a barista approached with a look on her face that screamed to all that she was officially done with humanity,  
“Patton, hey, sorry to interrupt but there’s a couple of people over here who want to speak with the owner. Apparently, they have a complaint.” Patton sighed and got to his feet,   
“No worries, I’ll be right there.” He turned to the others, “Excuse me, please.” He stepped away and followed the barista’s pointing finger.   
Two individuals sat in the corner, buried behind textbooks and newspapers. It was evident that they were college students, probably cramming for their finals. Patton sighed again and painted a smile on before walking over,  
“Hi, can I help you?” The first answered in a bored drawl, not even bothering to lower his book,  
“Yes, the service here is terrible, I wanted to make a complaint.” Patton was slightly taken aback,  
“Oh?” He asked, unsure how to continue,  
“Indeed.” The second commented, lowering his newspaper and staring at Patton with impossibly wide brown eyes, “I was told that I would get a hug from my Dad and that hasn’t happened yet. Really terrible service.” Patton screamed as the textbook lowered and a sheepish looking Virgil joined in Logan’s laughter.   
His boys! Patton lunged forward and caught them both in an awkward hug. They laughed and Patton wiped tears from his eyes. Virgil sniffed,  
“Don’t do that! You’re gonna make me cry!” He stood and made his way around the table to hug Patton properly.  
His boys had gotten so big! Virgil was tall enough to look Patton in the eye and had put on some weight and muscle. He still wore a hoodie despite it being summer and Florida and his hair was still as purple as Patton remembered. Logan was still shorter than his brother and remained slim and delicate in his build. His glasses still looked too big and slid down his nose when given the chance. His boys. They were surrounded by the rest of the family and everyone was talking at once. Roman grabbed them both, demanding to know how they got there. Logan laughed,  
“Remy helped with that.” The drama queen shrugged,   
“What can I say? I’m guilty as charged there.” Remus wrapped his arms around Logan and smiled,  
“Still a Baby Birdie!” He giggled and Logan huffed.   
They were dragged to the table and the whole story was told from the beginning. Happy chatter and bright eyes filled the room and lasted throughout the day. As night drew closer, it was decided that they would all go back to the Prince’s place and crash just like they had so many times before. Virgil’s cheeks ached from smiling and laughing and he leaned close to Patton, letting that feeling of everything being right once more wash over him. Logan smiled from Patton’s other side and pressed a kiss to his dad’s cheek. It was weird being home after so long but that’s exactly where he wanted to be in this moment. He took in the customers coming and going, the families that were far more normal than his but far less exciting, the couples, the singles, and all the in-betweens. He took in the smells and the lights and the little imperfections that made it as close to a comforting place as any home. His eyes wandered to the window where a butterfly alighted on the flowers outside. He smiled as he recognized the bright orange pattern of the monarch butterfly,  
“Look, Steve,” he whispered, “I learned how to fly, too.”  
As they all entered the familiar double doors and made their way to the sofa, it was like muscle memory kicked in. Virgil settled next to Patton, Patton pulled Logan to his other side. Remy flopped down on Virgil and Remus made his place on Janus’ lap who complained that he was getting too old for these antics. Roman started a movie and placed himself between Logan and Janus, taking in his family and smiling like a child on Christmas day. Everything was in its place and, while nothing is ever perfect, here everything was alright.   
There is something comforting being in a group of people who are all broken to some degree. It’s like standing in a long, dark hallway. The light is visible on other side but reaching it alone seems impossible. There is something comforting about knowing that there are other people in the hallway. Some of them are ahead of you, lighting your way, ready to lead you forward. There are some behind you, looking to you for support and guidance. And then there is you. Standing your ground and ready to pull those behind you forward while being pulled by those ahead of you. Logan looked at his small collection of travelers and thought back on the adventures they’d had together. The Strands, the Plumbers, Mrs. Huff, the police officers, lawyers, the judge, the social workers, the tired looking bus driver, the old woman missing teeth, and maybe even Steve; were they all in the hallway too? Trying to get to that light that had fought for so long? Trying to achieve that golden trophy of peace and maybe, just maybe, a little slice of that wonderous thing called joy.


	38. The Chapter Titles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some of you may have noticed that my chapter titles are a poem. Here they are in their entirety.

1 Baby Bird, All Alone  
2 Who Has Left You So?  
3 Baby Bird, Can You Fly Home?  
4 Where Did Your Family Go?  
5 Baby Bird, Such Wide Eyes  
6 Watching Life Pass You By.  
7 Baby Bird, Can You Fly?  
8 Baby Bird, All on Your Own  
9 Baby bird, what is home?  
10 What holds you to your past?  
11 Who was the first?   
12 Who was the last?  
13 Who was the last to hold you close?  
14 Whom holds comfort’s voice?  
15 Baby Bird, one so small  
16 How have you survived it all?   
17 Baby Bird, eyes so big  
18 You are fighting so hard to live  
19 One so broken, yet you still give  
20 Baby bird, fly back home  
21 Baby bird, you were never alone  
22 Learning how to fly  
23 Means learning how to cry  
24 While it may seem I have left you here  
25 I swear I never disappear  
26 Even if you can’t see me  
27 In your heart, I will always be  
28 And while you stay here by my side  
29 I promise to help, protect, and guide.  
30 While you worry day by day  
31 I will be there every step of the way  
32 But as you reach the edge of the nest  
33 We both know it’s for the best  
34 Are you ready to try?  
35 Baby bird, please don’t cry  
36 I promise this is not goodbye  
37 But, Baby Bird, it’s time to fly.


End file.
